Cash boost for Chinese community (From Oxford Mail)

Cash boost for Chinese community

6:00pm Wednesday 16th May 2012 in Oxford

AN ADVICE centre for Chinese people based in East Oxford has been given a huge cash injection allowing it to continue running its services for five years.

Last year Oxfordshire Chinese Community and Advice Centre (OCCAC) had its funding cut by Oxford City Council.

But now the centre has been given nearly £300,000 towards its health programme and the centre’s head has said it is needed now more than ever.

Stephen Yeung, the administration officer for the centre, said: “We are very pleased and very grateful.

“The needs of non-English speaking Chinese are great and it is hard for them to get help. We are the only organisation in the Thames Valley region which offers them help.”

OCCAC, which was set up in 1991, provides help for the estimated 8,500 members of the Chinese community living in Oxfordshire in areas such as employment, housing and education.

It offers its services across Oxfordshire, Reading and Buckinghamshire.

Mr Yeung said: “I would say half of the Chinese community in Oxfordshire has problems understanding English.

“We have to deal with 2,000 cases in a year even though we have had cuts in funding.

“Two members of staff have already left and we are all working part-time. We hope to find volunteers but not many of them are bilingual.

“We are still looking for more funding, otherwise many Chinese will suffer.”

The £299,850 has been given to the centre by the Big Lottery Fund which gives out money raised by the National Lottery.