What people say about DirectSupport

Selected quotes from users of the DirectSupport Service, funded by DfES and UfI to help rural and urban community groups to bid for and open UK Online centres for the disadvantaged. ruralnet|UK, lead partner in DirectSupport, both designed and manages the service, working closely with other partners.

"It was inspiring, your workshop that I attended in Brighton"
Centre Manager, Sussex, July 06

In response to a reply on Experts Online: "That's great, it answers my question perfectly. Thank you."
Centre Manager, Greater Manchester June 06

"Thank you so much for your help [Experts Online forum Expert], and everyone else's [contribution]!!"
Centre Manager, Hampshire, June 06

"... just wanted to say an almighty thanks for being there... I don't honestly know how I could possibly have got started on this project without you and Sue and the marvellous monitoring spreadsheet."
Centre manager, August 2005

"Thank you so much, yet again, for the wonderful response to my query [via Experts Online] and the professionalism that goes into the documents requested."
Centre manager, July 2005

"I was successful in getting the full £8000 capital and £10500 revenue ... Thanks for all your help and I used the spreadsheet to good effect.
Centre Manager, May 2005

"I am absolutely gobsmacked ... the application is great... I've been scribbling away but was waffling and giving far too much detail. It's so great to receive some help and guidance - it makes all the difference!"
Centre manager March 2005

"We were successful with our recent bid, and it's all thanks to you....thank you very much for your priceless help and advice."
Centre manager March 2005

"Your presentation was exactly what we required and it generated informative and useful discussion."
Ufi Regional Manager, 2005

"[Our mentor] has been very helpful! The situation is on going and he is returning to finish off. His work has been above and beyond the call of duty."
Centre Manager, 2004

"I’ve done this kind of thing before, but this was actually very useful. It worked."
Participant, Hackney networking session, 2004

"Thank you - very much enjoyed the event. Very relevant. Thought [DirectSupport facilitator] was an especially useful speaker."
Delegate Southampton Event, 2004

"Thank you so much for this information and for taking the time to talk me this morning. I know it is your job but there are ways of dealing with people and you got my measure straight away. I can't tell you how relieved I feel to have made contact and the knot in my stomach isn't quite as tight as this morning!!"
Northants centre manager, 2003

"…the best staff development training I’ve been on…."
Project Worker, 2003

"[Volunteer] is enthusing with ideas since the training, she loved it."
Programme Co-ordinator, 2003

"Truthfully, I wasn’t looking forward to this but it was very stimulating, interesting and involving. Participation was encouraged, which is a big plus."
Trustee, sustainability workshop, 2003

"Your workshop was excellent and I got so much from it."
Delegate, Becta’s Women and ICT event, 2003

"We already have two new community projects going forward, following the workshop."
WM network host at WM networking event, 2003

"I was at Brixworth on Friday and found the day to be really valuable and informative. Many thanks for this."
East Midlands outreach project, 2003

"The manual is a serious bit of kit for community development."
Mentor, mentor training event, 2003

"I could have asked for nothing more from such accomplished and experienced presenters."
Mentor, mentor training event, 2003

"Sample induction process…..Another gem unearthed on this site!"
User of DirectSupport online, 2003

"That was the most detailed presentation about partnerships in the least time with the most clarity I have ever heard. You covered it all."
SW RDA representative, SW event, 2003

"Can I say thank you to you all for the invaluable support you've given us over the last 12 months."
Government Office representative, 2003

"Thank you for the sustainability documentation that you sent. I have found it extremely useful and informative and I've passed it onto the other members of the steering group."
Project Manager, Lancashire 2003

"...Just to let you know that on 2nd June 2003 we were informed by Buckingham Palace that the Muslim Khatri Association has been honoured with the Queens Jubilee Award for outstanding voluntary and community contribution. Once again we would like to dedicate this achievement to the DirectSupport team who have helped us in the background in helping us in delivering an effective quality service to the local community."
Yahya Thadh, Centre Manager, 7 June 03

"[ Mentor ] came a couple of weeks ago to give a seminar for centre managers and volunteers on marketing ideas. I just wanted to pass on my thanks and those of others who attended.  It was felt to be a great success, useful, encouraging and idea provoking. Thank you very much [ Mentor ] and yourself." Clair Cooke - Centre Manager, All Saints, Chatham , 12 June 03

We would like to say a big 'Thank you' for helping us through our very first recruitment process.  We are truly grateful for all your prompt correspondence, guidelines, legal advice, questions /answers,  scoring templates, hands on support from [The mentor] in planning/preparing adverts and other advise. Also to [Another mentor] for the practical and hands on support in interviews planning/ preparing and advice around complaints and hands holding and making sensitive phone calls on our behalf and all other advice from DirectSupport staff .

You've got a great team and we have been very fortunate to have met many of them.  This has been a great learning process for us and we feel that Direct Support has played a big part in building our capacity and confidence to be employers.
Sinder Mahil, Nuneaton Women's Multicultural Centre, 27 January 03

Once again thank you and if there is ever anything we can do for you please do not hesitate to contact us.
Darren Swabey, Keyham Community Partnership, Plymouth , January 02

It's been a great opportunity and a great service and everyone in the village is very excited about it.
Margaret Smith, Garboldisham Village Hall, 11/01/02

I have to say that the standard of help has been absolutely first class, and I don't think I would have completed the docs in time without your valuable and ever constant help - (and I should know having made numerous applications for community money over the last 8 years)
Margaret Smith, Garboldisham Village Hall, 26/10/01

Thank you for all those information and messages that you sent to me. There are very useful. We will study them during the weekend. We are very impressed by your action plan. Your ongoing support is just what we need. It is very clear for us to follow each step.
Hong Lu, Chinese Education Development Project' 15/09/01

When are we going to get an opportunity to formally tell you how brilliant our mentor was?" [The mentor] has been wonderful - very clear thinking and just what we needed.
Hind Nakia

Please keep me informed of any future training and in particular any further training on excel and cashflow applications. I gained a huge amount from my recent attendance to the introduction to excel held at [WREN at] the Agricultural Centre in Coventry
Gary Bird, Manor Farm Community, Walsall , April 01

Just wanted to say a public 'thank you'.... The Big Top Team ran the activity yesterday and it was a huge success. 19 traveler women and children attended the workshop, which ran for around 2 hours, and all came away with a T-shirt they were happy to wear. All of the women came back last night and 2 of them spent an hour designing posters and business cards for their fairground stalls...
Karen Halliday, Big Top Project, Birmingham , November 01

...many new ideas, useful methodology and helpful suggestions. My grateful thanks to all involved for making the event so enjoyable and informative. If you haven't been to the workshop yet and have the opportunity to do so in the future, then take my advice and go along. I can assure you: Dull it isn't!
Mike Wade, Holsworthy Community, Devon , November 01

Thanks for your quick response. I am grateful for your support for the project.
Ejaz Hussein, Burnley Telematics, September 01

Thanks for your help ... much appreciated.
Parpinder Singh, Sandwell Sikh Forum, November 01

Thank you very much for replying to our request, we have had a look at the web site and it looks as though what we are doing will fit in with this funding body.

It was a breath of fresh air; I've never before come across a government funding source where so much help was available - DirectSupport really understands the difficulties that we have in bidding and our mentor was marvelous. We would never have done it otherwise.
Mike Gadsby, MES Headway, Staffordshire, 14/01/02

We have applied for funding before but this is the first time we have dealt with someone who understood the needs of small organisations. The mentoring and helpline have been really great and we would not have been successful without it.
Yahya Thadha, Muslim Khatri Association, Leicester, 18/12/01

Thanks for all the hard work you and your team put into this [bid]. Yes it is somewhat frustrating ... but in the end will be all worth it no doubt. Thanks again.
Erik Cornelisse, Castle Centre Co-ordinator, Hastings , 18/10/01

I am pleased to report that our bid for funding has been successful!! We got both capital and revenue funding. Thanks very much for all your help in setting up the project.
Valdis Bellinis, Industrial Dwellings Society, London , 15/10/01

Many thanks for the help line its been a real source of reference and assistance.
Heather Duke, Bridlington Mencap, 08/10/01

Thank you for the various information and forms concerning TargIT, your help and assistance is greatly appreciated.
Kiren Dutt, Impact Community, 24/09/01

It is important to say that the on-line support and the mentor support has been excellent and very important for such a detailed application process. Many thanks,
Judi Thomas, Culm Valley Community Education, Devon , 08/10/01

Could we at Tantobie thank you and your team for your invaluable support. We are ready to start work on our UK Online Centre.
Janice Docherty, Tantobie Community Centre, Durham , 02/10/01

I wanted to thank you for your support for CMF (Capital Modernisation Fund). We have been successful.
Qazi Mohammed, DIY Information Point, Batley, November 01