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The founder of Islington’s only remaining African-Caribbean organisation has accused the Town Hall of putting his community “on the back-burner” after the authority turned down a new funding application, putting its future under threat.

Des Riley, who runs Islington Link Up, fears that the organisation he has run since 2002 may not survive after Islington Council rejected its application for “infrastructure funding” – lifeline money to sustain its existence.

“We don’t understand why the council is so reluctant in its support,” said Mr Riley.

“This is the heart of the community. We have people coming in here aged 18 to 80. The elders meet the youngsters here and you just don’t get that sort of ambiance anywhere else. This place gives a lot.”

Link Up, which moved to Hornsey Road from Seven Sisters Road last year, provides job coaching, mentoring opportunities and sports days for more than 100 predominantly – but not exclusively – black youngsters. It also runs social events for pensioners, a black men’s wellbeing group and is used as a community centre.

It is run solely by volunteers and has been fully reliant on £10,000 in annual funding from the council though it derives some income from selling Caribbean food, arts and crafts. It can occupy its premises rent-free until 2020.

Six weeks ago Mr Riley was told a new application for funding was refused. Money runs out in September, and now he fears for Link Up’s future.

He added: “We bring youth together and here they have someone to talk to, they support each other instead of getting involved in negative stuff like stabbings and shootings. We do important work in the community with the little resources that we have.

“We have been offered some support from one or two officers [to attract alternative funding] but we think there should simply be a pot to fund us.

“The Afro-Caribbean community don’t see the money trickling through. I believe we’ve been put on the back-burner as a community. Yes, we’re integrated in society, but we are still fighting racism and there are many other issues, such as knife crime and stop and search.”

Mr Riley is a veteran when it comes to running organisations such as Link Up. He set up its predecessor, the Chi Centre, in 1981 when he was aged 20. Since then, he has seen a raft of African-Caribbean community centres in the borough close, including the Abaala Centre, the Unity Association, the Holloway Workshop, the Community Education Trust and the legendary Keskidee Arts Centre, which was based near King’s Cross.

He added: “If Link Up goes due to a lack of funding, would the council be willing to create a black-led African-Caribbean organisation in Islington and how much would this cost? Would it replace that which would be lost?”

Link Up volunteer Phyllis White said: “There are few places like this left. We are really at the grassroots level.

“A lot of the young black boys are marginalised. They can relate to Des, and they want mentoring about many issues.

“Confidence is a big thing for them. Here they can open up and boost their confidence. Here they are comfortable and familiar and that’s key to keeping them on the straight and narrow.”

Link Up’s unsuccessful application comes despite the £2.45million in annual grants for voluntary organisations being maintained this year, as was announced by the council in January.

Councillor Kaya Comer-Schwarz, Islington’s executive member for community development, said the council had actually increased the total amount of money available to voluntary groups this year.

“All applications for VCS [voluntary and community sector] grants went through a clear process that assessed criteria including the strength of the proposals and how they met the needs of Islington,” she said. “Unfortunately, Islington Link Up’s application was not successful.

“We want to help Link Up and have met with Mr Riley to help him explore options and will be offering support to identify and develop other funding proposals.”

“We’re committed to services for BME [black or minority ethnic] communities and this year have provided £160,000, in grants alone to voluntary organisations specifically for our BME communities. Many local young people from BME communities also use council services such as Lift and Platform.”