Wendy Jenkins, Programmes Director of Groundwork UK was also at the launch to congratulate the local volunteers and community members who helped to bring the spectacular project to fruition.

The spectacular Celtic Cross at Saltash – part of a Community Spaces flagship project – is finally in place after weeks of delays caused by low temperatures and high winds…

The 20-metre cross – designed by Cornish artist Simon Thomas – was lifted into place alongside the Tamar Bridge at Saltash this weekend.

After a 128-mile trip from Newquay via Exeter, the cross was erected late on Saturday night. A 100-tonne crane lifted the structure and a second 80-tonne crane was used to guide it into position.

The Tamar Bridge slip road was partially closed to allow the sculpture to be bolted into place.

Laim Bradley of the Saltash Waterfront Residents’ Association said: “It has taken three years to get the cross in place and it looks remarkable. Simon’s vision has created a stunning piece of public art that will stand as a monument to Cornwall for years to come.

“We would like to thank everyone involved in the project for their commitment and enthusiasm”

The sculpture was originally designed by  Simon for the Millennium celebrations. It is a modern interpretation of the traditional Celtic cross, inspired by the Neolithic landscape of Cornwall, its engineering heritage and the modern forward-looking Cornish identity.

Simon said: “The sculpture not only represents a proud Cornish heritage, but also the Cornwall of today which is an exciting and vibrant place, open to new ideas and celebrating its uniqueness.

“The Cornish Cross truly marks the Gateway to Cornwall, inviting visitors and welcoming travellers home.”

Building the cross has been a collaborative process for the company in charge of construction. Gateguards, based at Newquay Airport, has risen to the challenge of marrying art with a specialist engineering project.

The company is well known for building replica historic aircraft for film and museums, but their projects can be far more complex than that. Project Manager Duncan Healey assembled a team of fellow Cornish experts to bring the project together.

David Kendall, of Optima Projects Ltd was responsible for the structural design and engineering for the composite structure of the cross. Composites engineer Stig MacDonald, brought in for his materials expertise, while composites specialist Dan Emuss took charge of the three spars.

The Cross is prepared for its journey from Newquay to Saltash

The spars, which are over 16 metres in length, are made from aerospace and boatbuilding composite materials of glass fibre and carbon fibre. The head has been built from traditional Cornish metals.

Duncan Healey of Gateguards said: “This has been an incredible project to be involved with. Over 6,000 individual geometric pieces have been made to create the structure, with no two blocks identical.

“Ten people have worked on building the cross. We have all felt the same, that this is a very specialised engineering project, but more importantly, a work of art.”

The base of the cross has been designed to look like a cairn. Work will continue this week, placing a protective cowl at the base and laying grass to complete the cairn effect.

The Cornish Cross, which is part of the wider Elwell Woods regeneration project, was principally funded by Community Spaces, with additional support from Cornwall Council, Saltash Town Council and the Duchy of Cornwall.

An official launch event is due to take place on May 10.

The Kings Heath Village Square in Birmingham – a Community Spaces flagship project – is in the running for the Royal Town Planning Institute’s Awards for Planning Excellence.

The project has been shortlisted in the categories for “Leading the way in planning for community” and “excellence in planning and design for the public realm”

There are 30 schemes shortlisted for five project categories, ranging from the regeneration of Kings Cross in London to public realm improvements in Singapore. Shortlisted projects will now be scrutinised by a panel of 24 expert judges, chaired by one of the world’s leading planner-architects, Sir Terry Farrell, before the category winners are announced on July 10.

Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government, will present the Silver Jubilee Cup, the UK’s top planning prize, to the overall winner at the RTPI Planning Convention on July 11.

Sir Terry Farrell, Chair of judges, said: “Our shortlist reflects the very best planning projects, strategies and processes that are helping to make great places for people to live and work in. The breadth and standard of entries to the RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence is once again extremely impressive and a credit to the profession. Each demonstrates the positive impact and benefits of good planning.”

Projects on the shortlist have been recognised for their national contribution to planning and demonstrate how major schemes can be delivered speedily through the planning and other consents systems.
Sponsors for the 2013 Awards include British Land and the Design Council.
For information about the shortlisted projects click here

The Woodland Trust is offering community groups, youth groups and schools the chance to apply for packs of free trees.

Whether groups are interested in helping wildlife, creating a community garden or allotment, or just want to enhance their local area – any community groups are very welcome to apply for free trees.

The Trust has 4,000 to give away and the tree packs come in three sizes – 30 saplings, 105 saplings and 420 saplings in various themes (wildlife, wild harvest, year-round colour, future firewood and wetland).

Find out more at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/communitytrees Applications are open until September, but groups are advised to apply sooner rather than later as the offer looks likely to be oversubscribed.

Their award, presented at the Mayor’s banquet in Trowbridge, recognises that their pond renovation project has considerably enhances the town.

The group reports that the joint winner was a £22 million refurbishment of the local library, so the £49,000 Community Spaces grant the group received looks to have been money well spent.

Working party Co-ordinator Sharl Adabashi walked the red carpet to receive the award certificate from the Mayor of Trowbridge, Coun John Knight.

Alan Cooper, Pond Project Manager, says: “Sharl has been organising and actively working at Biss Meadows since the main works were finished, to ensure the whole of that area of the Country Park is looking tremendous for our opening in the summer. So it was fitting that Sharl received the award on behalf of the group. Congratulations to everyone who has help in various ways to bring this two-year project to its completion.”

Two Community Spaces projects were among the finalists in a Big Lottery photography competition.

Communities in Focus launched last November and ran on Local World’s This is and localpeople websites for four weeks.

The competition had two categories, one for inspiring images of community life and the other for photos of Big Lottery funded projects making a difference. Entries were made via Cam360, designed by Media Trust as a place to share and publish images.

The Community Spaces projects are the Whitemoss Community Multi-Use Games Area in Manchester (above left) and the Leechwell Garden Development in Totnes, Devon (right).

All the shortlisted entries are featured on the Big Lottery website and give a fabulous snapshot of communities in action across the country.

BIG’s England Director Dharmendra Kanani said: “The number and range of entries to the Communities in Focus competition is a reminder of the goodness that resides in communities across England; the images paint a picture of hope, ambition and communities driving change.”

A model of the Saltash Celtic Cross

It’s getting rather exciting on the Devon-Cornwall border as the Celtic Cross at Saltash – a Community Spaces flagship project – nears completion.

The BBC’s Inside Out South West team have covered the latest developments and you can see the report by clicking here. The Celtic Cross report starts at 20 minutes and 10 seconds.

Artist Simon Thomas talks about the inspiration for the project and how the landmark is being built using hi-tech materials and techniques.

Driving into Cornwall across the Tamar Bridge will never be the same again…

Cornwall Wildlife Trust will be working with a group of volunteers to plant a 100m long perimeter hedge around Elwell Woods.  The hawthorn, blackthorn and broadleaved hedging will encourage wild birds to nest in the area.  A variety of native trees and shrubs will also be planted through the woodland.

Anyone interested in helping can come along from 10am-3pm on Saturday February 16.  Volunteers must wear suitable clothing, including boots and work gloves.  Refreshments and pasties will be provided.

This will be the latest in a series of volunteer days that are transforming Elwell Woods. Saltash Waterfront Resident’s Association (SWRA) initiative will turn the former wasteland into a wooded area complete with fitness equipment, picnic areas, a small orchard and a 20 metre high Cornish Cross.

Further volunteer days are planned for Saturdays in March – planting the orchard on the 2^nd, and building and installing bird and bat boxes on the 23^rd.

Joe Ellison, Project Leader for SWRA, said: “With the help of our volunteers, we are transforming this previously forgotten area into a beautiful place to visit with stunning views and, when the Cornish Cross is in place, one of Cornwall’s most important landmarks.”

The 20-metre cross, designed by Cornish sculptor, Simon Thomas, is in the final stage of fabrication at Newquay Airport, made from leading edge aerospace materials such as glass and carbon fibre to resemble copper.

SWRA believes the Cornish Cross will become the ‘gateway to Cornwall’ and will become as firmly fixed on the tourist map as the Angel of the North, attracting visitors to the area and boosting the local economy.

Elwell Woods, including the Cornish Cross, is a Community Spaces Flagship project. Additional funding and support has come from Cornwall Council, Saltash Town Council and the Duchy of Cornwall.

This year the focus is on energy use – focusing minds on the need to move away from fossil fuels towards renewable sources of heat, light and power.

To kick things off, WWF – formerly the World Wildlife Fund – has launched a nationwide search for inspirational people making a difference for the environment. These

Hidden Heroes don’t have to be superheroes, just people who have gone the  extra mile to help the environment.

Earth Hour starts at 8.30pm on Saturday March 23. For more information and to nominate someone for a Hidden Heroes award, click here

The awards celebrate the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects – and of course your Community Spaces project is included.

If you run a fantastic Lottery-funded project, or are feeling inspired and would like to nominate a project that you think deserves a little bit of recognition, then why not get in touch for this year’s awards?

For more information, click here