Congratulations to Bill Longmore, stalwart of Hanwood Village Hall Management Committee in Shropshire and project manager for the village’s waterside park Community Spaces project.
He’s been named winner of the BBC Midlands Sports Unsung Hero Award for 2011 in recognition of his work to develop sporting facilities in Hanwood during 12 years in the village, in particular with the women’s football team and the local bowls club.
Bill, aged 73, said he was overwhelmed with the prize. “I think it’s going to spur us on and I hope we can really get things moving even quicker to get more people playing sport and more people involved.”
Bill will now represent the West Midlands against 14 other regional winners for judging for the overall 2011 BBC Sports Unsung Hero award to be announced on the BBC Sports Personality of the year programme on Thursday December 22.
He served 30 years with Staffordshire Police, retiring with the rank of Superintendent in 1986.
During his service he became known for his work in improving and developing police public relations especially with young people by organising and starting sporting clubs including football and BMX.
He moved to Hanwood in 1999 and soon became active in trying to improve sporting facilities in the village.
He became chairman of the village hall committee in July 2009 and led the bid for Community Spaces funding to improve the village hall grounds.
Work started in October this year and when completed will offer opportunities for walking for health, running training, fishing, leisure and recreational activities.
Good luck!
Archive for the ‘West Midlands’ Category
A hero for Hanwood
Posted on 12th December 2011 by Chris BurtonNew heart for urban village
Posted on 13th October 2011 by Chris Burton
The project during construction
A Birmingham suburb has a new heart after a £660,000 project to create a village square.
Accompanied by dancers, drummers and choirs, the new square in Kings Heath – a Community Spaces flagship project – will be officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Coun Anita Ward, and the Bishop of Birmingham, the Rt Rev David Urquhart, on Saturday October 15 at 10am.
The project has been masterminded by the All Saints Community Development Company in collaboration with All Saints Parochial Church Council. The group secured a £430,000 grant for the square from Community Spaces, £210,000 from Birmingham City Council and £20,000 from Kings Heath Centre Partnership
The Village Square brings together three separate areas of ground into a place for meeting and relaxing and where a regular programme events and activities will take place.
Major features in the square include:
- A ‘bubble pavement’ water feature which symbolises refreshment, new life and Christian Baptism
- A paved labyrinth, designed by artist Alison Ogle in consultation with local young people and community groups and which includes mosaic inserts and quotations on the theme of ‘Cherish Creation and Community’
- A paved Threshold/Swirl feature, which spirals outward from a restored Edwardian lamppost at the outer corner of the square toward the centre of the labyrinth and in which is cut a poem by local poet Rosie Miles who was a finalist for the title of Birmingham Poet Laureate in 2010
- A re-sited and renovated War memorial with seating
- Landscaping and planting
During the opening ceremony, the Bishop will switch on the water feature and bless the venue. Music and song will be preformed by the Kings Heath Brass Quintet, the Eritrean church and the Sing Live! choir.
Landscape architect Simon Watkins and site construction supervisor Peter Smith will “top out” the paved labyrinth by laying the final piece, a centre steel inlay circle.
Vivien Thickett of the All Saints Community Development Company said: “It’s been hard work putting together such a complicated project but the results make it all worth while. We now have a beautiful square for all members of the community to enjoy.”
Wendy Jenkins, programmes director at Groundwork UK, which manages Community Spaces, said: “The Kings Heath Village Square is one our flagship projects and I am delighted to see how the vision of the local community has become a reality.”
October project launches
Posted on 28th September 2011 by Chris Burton
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
Friends of Broadwaters – Progress Update
Posted on 16th July 2010 by nishavirdi
New pathways at Broadwaters in Kidderminster
The Friends of Broadwaters based in Kidderminster secured just under £50k from Community Spaces in May to create what they called ‘Pleasing Pathways’.
The project aimed to improve access to a sensory garden and encourage people to use the space more.
The group has been keeping people up to date with progress on site via their own blog, see: http://friendsofbroadwaters.blogspot.com/2010/07/work-in-progress.html
They have posted a great piece about the transformation of the old site into new pathways and have shared some of the ‘up’s and down’s’.
Wilderness project launched in Smethwick
Posted on 14th May 2010 by nishavirdi
Official launch of the Warley Woods Wilderness project, Smethwick, Birmingham
The Warley Woods Community Trust celebrated the completion and launch of their project in Smethwick, West Midlands, yesterday.
Chair of the Trust, Steve Eling, officially cut the ribbon at the new entrance gates and local school children were given a tour of the newly refurbished site and wildlife area.
The site, which was previously used as a dumping ground, secured almost £50k from Community Spaces to transform it into a wildlife haven. The group used the funding to improve access to otherwise unused areas of the woodland and are also hoping to plant two wildflower meadows to encourage flora and fauna.
We look forward to watching the wildflower meadows flourish and it’s fantastic to see local youngsters already getting the opportunity to enjoy their environment and wildlife in an otherwise urban town.
Over £4m funding goes to nine projects!
Posted on 30th March 2010 by nishavirdi
- 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.
Bermuda Lake natural play project
Posted on 14th December 2009 by Nick Booth
Bermuda Village Residents Association were granted £49,910 from the Community Spaces programme, which is managed by Groundwork UK & funded by the Big Lottery Fund.
The group have used the funds to develop a natural play area for children to explore.
Click on the links below to find out more:
Community Spaces in the West Midlands
Posted on 13th April 2009 by Nick BoothManaged by Groundwork UK and funded by the Big Lottery Fund, the Community Spaces programme has awarded three grants in the West Midlands region:
Community group |
Project type |
Location |
Grant amount
|
|
Playground |
Hereford |
£30,000 |
|
|
Exercise |
Worcestershire |
£40,770 |
|
|
Recreational activities |
Kidderminster |
£47,653 |
Click on the name of the community group to view their case study, or visit http://www.consultationmap.co.uk/communityspaces to search for more Community Spaces projects.
