Archive for the ‘North East’ Category

Cake bake for swan lake

Posted on 12th January 2012 by

lakeside explorer swan lake cakeSwans, ducks, reed-planting, children from six schools and a home-made Swan Lake cake – just some of the ingredients at the launch event of the Lakeside Explorer project in Newcastle.

The party was a celebration of the hard work carried out by the Exhibition and Brandling Parks Community Trust to transform the lake in Exhibition Park.

A Community Spaces grant helped the trust to improve the landscape around the lake, making it more wildlife-friendly and with better opportunities for visitors to enjoy nature.

The Lakeside Explorer project combines the best of the past with a new future: it softens edges and builds boardwalks out into the lake, creates sheltered shallows planted with reeds which will soon be tall enough to hide people walking though them and brings new plantings of wild plants to the lake edges.

Well done to all.

Posted on 12th January 2012 by
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Posted in North East, Parks | No Comments »

Toronto still thriving one year on

Posted on 9th January 2012 by

toronto family fun dayResidents of Toronto in Co Durham celebrated the first anniversary of the transformation of their local recreation ground with a Family Fun Day

The Community Association secured a Community Spaces Sustainability Grant following on from their original funding for the development of the rec, which has helped to fund further activities and events.

The family fun day followed an activities programme that saw youngsters from the community engaged in football, basketball, tennis and dance mats.

The Family Fun Day was a huge success, with over 150 people attending throughout the day. With activities to choose from such as basketball and football, a bouncy castle, soft play, and the popular 4 in 1 bungee trampoline, the day went down as treat (as did the home baked refreshments).

The project, which was developed by Toronto Community Association and Groundwork North East, included the replacement of the existing play area with a new improved facility along with the installation of a multi use games area and access improvements.

The scheme, which cost over £130,000, was part funded through Community Spaces. Other money came from Durham County Council Urban Rural Renaissance Initiative, Section 106 funds and Bishop Auckland Town Council.

Posted on 9th January 2012 by
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Posted in Events, North East, Play | No Comments »

Sustaining the interest

Posted on 12th October 2011 by

martin proffittMartin Proffitt was the facilitator for the Byker Garden project in Newcastle, which completed last month.
Here, he outlines some of the imaginative plans from the group behind the Garden and how mambers plan to use their Sustainability Grant 

“I was really impressed from the beginning as to how the group behind this project ran with the seemingly impossible task of developing the project further and gaining support and momentum from all as they did so.

Now that the main project is complete on the ground comes the real test in sustaining support and involvement of local people in its long-term development.

I recently received their sustainability grant application form and they have some great, innovative ideas which should really help push their project forward into the arms of the local community.

The working group behind the sustainability grant development have really embraced the need to involve all sections of the local community.

To give you a flavour, they will be engaging with local schools, residents and other groups in a range of activities which involve activities such as… deep breath… practical gardening and food growing sessions, wildlife education sessions hands-on with bird and bat box making, mixing history and wildlife with art, using food produced in the garden for pizza making (using an outside oven!), creating colourful planters and window boxes to take home, BBQ days, local talent show and events, summer workshops, poetry and music, seed collection, storage and use, decoration making workshops, apple celebration days… nearly finished!… Hallowe’en celebration, mini-beast hotel making, art workshops in the garden – being inspired by the plants and colour around them, tree day – tying in with the history of the tree and picnics.

Phew!

The group is also applying for an extensive list of tools to ensure they are able to carry out the maintenance of the newly improved area.”

Plenty of  ideas – and hopefully some inspiration there. Please share your plans for sustainability… you might just inspire like-minded groups up and down the country.

Posted on 12th October 2011 by
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Posted in Garden, Information, North East, Project Management | 2 Comments »

Byker Time-Lapse: The Final Cut

Posted on 5th October 2011 by


Here’s the final version of the fantastic time-lapse film we commissioned to show the development of the Byker Garden in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

The film shows the site from two cameras, taking you from the first day of work through to completion last month.

The launch event was a great success, despite the nippy Northern weather.

What was once an unloved and neglected churchyard is now a vibrant community resource at the heart of Byker, with places to sit and enjoy stunning views over the city and its landmark bridges over the Tyne.

The garden also features a performance amphitheatre and will host a gardening club. 

The project was supported by Norcare, a North East-based suppported housing charity, that helps people to move towards independent living.

There are more photos on our Flickr page.

Posted on 5th October 2011 by
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Posted in Garden, Information, North East | No Comments »

October project launches

Posted on 28th September 2011 by

A busy month of project launches coming up… If there’s one in your area why not get along?

And don’t forget to let us know how your launch went… we love seeing your photographs, videos and reports.

Share the joy!

 

October 1
Northall Village Trust
South End Lane
Northall
Dunstable
Bedfordshire
LU6 2EX
Playground and natural play area
 
October 2
Friends of Mossley Park
Stamford Road
Mossley
Ashton Under Lyne
Lancashire
OL5 0BA
Seating and performance amphitheatre
 
October 7
King George V Playing Field at Mylor
Mylor Bridge
Falmouth
Cornwall
TR115NG
Playground
 
October 8
Kearsley Mount Methodist Church
Manchester Road
Kearsley
Bolton
Lancashire
BL4 8QJ
Community garden
 
Lascelles Community Partnership
Eastbourne Park & Lascelles Green Link
Off Rydal Road
Darlington
Co Durham
DL1 4BH
Improved pathways and access to link two green spaces
 
Kingsbury Episcopi Recreation Ground
Thorney Road
Kingsbury Episcopi
Martock
Somerset
TA12 6BB
Multi-use games area
 
October 9
Down Thomas Silver Jubilee Hall
Down Thomas
Wembury
Plymouth
Devon
PL9 0BG
Playground and trim trail
 
The Middlestown Playground Club
Old Road
Middlestown
Wakefield
West Yorkshire
WF4 4QE
Playground
 
October 15
Friends of Chapel Park
Chapel-en-le-Frith Memorial Park
Rowton Grange Road
Chapel-en-le-Frith
Derbyshire
SK23 0LA
Multi-use games area
 
Bourne Valley Action Group
Bourne Valley Park
Turbary Close
Parkstone
Poole
Dorset
BH12 4HD
Playground
 
All Saints Community Development Company
Vicarage Road
Kings Heath
Birmingham
B14 7RA
A new village square and community facility
 
October 16
Claypole Playgroup
Main Street
Claypole
Newark
Nottinghamshire
NG23 5BA
Playground
 
Ware Skate Park Scheme
Priory Street
Ware
Hertfordshire
SG12 0DE
Skate park
 
October 17
Friends Of Memorial Park
Warrenhust Road
Fleetwood
Lancashire
FY7 7AE
Rose garden
 
October 22
Brandon 3 Tenants & Residents Association
Warham Street
Camberwell
London
SE5 0TB
Community garden and public square
 
Kingsholm Kids at Play
Sebert Street
Gloucester
GL1 3BS
Playground
 
Brixton Community Association
Woodland Drive 
Brixton
Plymouth
Devon
PL8 2PB
Playground
 
October 23
Falstone Village Hall Committee
The Croft
Falstone
Northumberland
NE48 1AA
Playground
 
October 24
Trimdon Grange Community Centre
Trimdon Grange
Co Durham
TS29 6PB
Multi use games area
 
Brown Edge Action Group
High Lane
Brown Edge
Staffordshire
ST6 8QA
Playground
 
October 27
Parent Carers Voice
Victoria Park
Bideford
Devon
EX39 2QQ
Play park featuring equipment for children with special needs and allowing for inclusive play with able bodied children.
 
October 28
Weston and Ivy Community Development Group
Weston Recreation Field
Macclesfield
Cheshire
SK11 8SR
Multi-use games area, community artwork and park improvements
 
October 29
Thrapston BMX & Skate Park Group
Meadow Lane
Thrapston
Northamptonshire
NN14 4QL
BMX park
 
October 31
Shenstone Playing Fields
Birmingham Road
Shenstone
Lichfield
Staffordshire
WS140JR
Footpath, signage, natural play features

Posted on 28th September 2011 by
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Posted in East Midlands, East of England, Events, Information, London, Nature & wildlife, North East, North West, Open spaces, Parks, Play, South East, South West, West Midlands, Yorkshire & The Humber | No Comments »

Catalyst award for Teesdale Park Friends

Posted on 21st September 2011 by
friends of teesdale park catalyst award

Secretary Ray Morton, park manager Shaun Underwood and group chairman Paul Gibson

Congratulations to the Friends of Teesdale Park, whose work in restoring their local green space has been recognised with a Catalyst Achievement Award.

Secretary Ray Morton, park manager Shaun Underwood and group chairman Paul Gibson collected the Community Group Award in the Catalyst Awards 2011. Catalyst is the leading voice for the third sector in Stockton-on-Tees.

The judges praised the Friends for their tireless work with local residents, businesses and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council to restore Teesdale Park. The area had been subject to fly tipping and vandalism and was under-used by local people. The Friends secured £48,000 from Community Spaces and worked to undertake improvements and add new facilities, restoring the park to its former glory.

Don’t forget to let us know if your group wins an award – we can celebrate your success and encourage others to keep up the good work!

Posted on 21st September 2011 by
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Posted in Awards, North East, Open spaces, Parks | No Comments »

Glebe Garden: ‘sculpting the generations together’

Posted on 10th June 2011 by

Young and old stand together to launch the new garden. (Photograph courtesy of Teesdale Mercury)

Today we’re joined by guest blogger and Community Spaces Facilitator, Phil Macari. Phil tells us about the Glebe Garden project in Bishop Auckland, Durham. The project secured just over £25k from Community Spaces to create a community garden.

Phil tells us more about the Glebe Garden project and the launch.

“The Cockfield Parochial Church Council opened the Glebe Garden back in April in glorious weather, with stalls, cakes, teas and of course a chainsaw sculptor! After years of development and wide consultation over this rural community, the much needed space has come to be. It reflects the history of the area: mining in the sculptured gates, raised beds shaped like coal wagons and other designs on the site. It also has features such as spaces for children’s mosaics, a wildlife meadow and a viewing platform that looks out over to the surrounding countryside, to continue the theme of ‘connection’.

Gardening and maintenance will be equally intergenerational with spaces already set a side for the school and other local groups, as well as chainsaw sculptured seating for all to sit and enjoy the new space.”

Sounds like a very relaxing little space Phil - we hope locals will come together to enjoy it for a many years.

Posted on 10th June 2011 by
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Posted in North East | No Comments »

Over £4m funding goes to nine projects!

Posted on 30th March 2010 by
All Saint's Community Development Company, Birmingham are awarded their cheque!
All Saint’s Community Development Company in Birmingham is awarded their grant.

Groundwork UK has today announced nine projects that will be benefiting from upto £450k each, through the lottery-funded Community Spaces programme.

The nine successful projects have been developing since Summer 2008, when the limited flagship grant awards were announced. The following projects will benefit from the funding:

The Dean & Chapter of Exeter Cathedral will be using the grant award to realise their Vision of the Green – they will be transforming the area around the cathedral into an accessible green space, which will nurture wildlife.

Saltash Waterfront Resident’s Association in Cornwall will be using funding to open up access to the Elwell Woodlands; the project will also see the installation of an iconic 20 metre Celtic Cross.

Paignton Town Community Partnership will be using just under £450k from Community Spaces to transform a former green space on the Paignton sea front into a state of the art natural play park.

All Saints Community Development Company will be using the funds to create an open village square off a busy High Street in Kings Heath, Birmingham.

Dudley Canal Trust will be revitalising and opening up access to the Dudley No.2 Canal Corridor, which is a 4-mile stretch of canal between Dudley and Sandwell.

Friends of Tees Heritage Park in Cleveland will be improving accessibility to the park and installing a trail around the site using digital and Bluetooth technology.

The Byker Centre in Newcastle has secured funding to create a community garden, which will include an amphitheatre, play facilities as well as more spaces for recreation.

Halton Community Association will be creating a Heart of Halton using £450k from Community Spaces. The project will open up a green space for all ages, the facilities will include a toddler and teenager play area, a multi-use games area, a skate park as well as a wildlife area.

Heeley Development Trust has planned to use the funds to create the Heeley Millenium Park in Sheffield. The local community hope to take more control of the existing local park and introduce better play facilities, BMX trails and community orchards.

Click here to find out more…

Posted on 30th March 2010 by
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Posted in North East, North West, South West, Uncategorized, West Midlands, Yorkshire & The Humber | 3 Comments »