A Community Growing its Own with help from a Big Idea, firm foundations and CDHT's Community Intervention Budget
Carrots, beetroot and rainbow chard were on show when Lache Garden Village Allotment Project and Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) signed to agree recently that land owned by CDHT and outlined for building could be used by the Project until September 2014, a total of 5 years. This means that the land continues to help Lache residents develop new skills and increase community links as they ‘grow their own’.
Bob McCombe (left) who has led the project from the start said:
“Lache is in the top 1 per cent for multiple deprivation in Cheshire, and I think the allotment project is a good example of local residents taking responsibility for improving their gardening skills, health, well-being, social cohesion and gaining practical horticultural qualifications – pioneers for David Cameron’s “Big Society. It has been an exciting journey.”
Chair of CDHT’s main Board, Cllr Thompson (right) said:
“The Housing Trust is always pleased to support projects such as this in as many ways as it can. It is a great way of building communities and better places to live in and that is what we are all about; communities, not just bricks and mortar.”
The story so far:
In 2009 resident Bob McCombe attended his local Lache Residents’ Association meeting in Chester to put forward his big idea. Bob had retired but still wanted to put something back into the community he lived in. He had recently been back to college to learn horticulture and been inspired to want to set up a training scheme to help residents learn to ‘grow their own’ vegetables and flowers. In addition, they could even gain a recognised qualification from Reaseheath College. Bob had everything in place except his ‘patch’ of land.
As at all Lache Residents’ Association meetings, a representative from CDHT was present. Mike O’Sullivan, Community Housing Officer for Lache introduced himself after Bob spoke and within 2 days Paul Knight, Director of Housing at CDHT had offered Bob use of a strip of land off Oxford Road for two years, enough time to grow the idea into action and some fresh vegetables too! Planning permission to build new houses there had been granted but the building work was not due to start yet.
The land was far from a garden however. Clearing the site of rubble and abandoned rubbish would take at least a week of solid, hard labour. CDHT sprang into action again and cleared the area, free of charge. The Neighbourhood Services Grounds Maintenance Team enjoyed seeing the results of their work and support has continued.
The first crop of vegetables and flowers from the access-friendly raised beds were seen last summer and everything about the project grows to maturity. Any number of Lache residents can be seen growing their own produce and a community greenhouse is now on site; not your average garden one as Bob doesn’t do average, but a large one that will help cultivate bulbs and seeds, saving money for everyone.
There’s usually ‘no such thing as a free lunch’ but as far as the help that the Trust has given, this has to be the exception. In addition to the use of the land and its clearance, the scheme had already been awarded £1,000 from CDHT’s Community Intervention Budget (C.I.B.) to help with the ‘start up’ costs. Holly Stiles from CDHT’s Regeneration Team helped Bob gain planning approval for the greenhouse. A total of £5,000 was donated towards the cost of the greenhouse and Bob’s use of the land has now been extended from two to five years.
The project would also not have been able to continue without the financial generosity of Lache Neighbourhood Management, the help given by Lache Residents’ Association, Lache Community Safety Wardens and the background support of Lache Park Ltd.
However, this initiative is purely down to an individual’s determination and a lot of hard teamwork. Bob, together with Stephen Jones and Ester Sloggett have moved mountains with their drive and determination and CDHT is very pleased to be able to support this project and others. It likes to see ideas grow!
CDHT’s Community Intervention Budget helps communities in so many ways, and this project hits all the right buttons as it includes education; a pathway to employment; healthier lifestyle & helping the environment. The Trust makes it part of its ‘core values’ to help communities and turn ideas into action.
If you’ve a community based idea or represent a local organisation that benefits the community, the size of your idea doesn’t matter. Please contact your community housing officer to see if CDHT can help with your Big Idea.
Ends: 769 words
For more information and photos please visit:
http://www.marketingprojects.co.uk/news/chester-district-housing-trust
CAPTION:
1 – Bob McCombe (left) Project Leader for Lache Garden Village Allotment Project and Chair of CDHT’s main Board, Cllr Thompson (right) sign the five year agreement to support the land’s continuing use as an allotment.
2 – LtoR: Stephen Jones, Finance and Administration Director for Lache Garden Village Allotment Project, Mike O’Sullivan, Community Housing Officer for CDHT in Lache, Bob McCombe, Project Leader for Lache Garden Village Allotment Project, Paul Burton, Trust Solicitor for CDHT and Chair of CDHT’s main Board, Cllr Thompson.
3 – The ground work being done to prepare the land for use as an allotment.
4 – Some of the Season’s crops.
Notes to editors
Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) is a dynamic and enterprising organisation at the forefront of delivering positive impacts in the communities with which it works. The Trust’s homes span six communities – Blacon North; Blacon South; Chester City Area; The Rurals; Lache and Handbridge; Upton, Hoole, Newton and Plas Newton.
Committed to the best principles of social enterprise with over 14,000 local customers in 6,200 properties and 53% of its 275 colleagues living within its communities, the Trust adheres to key commitments and principles relating to people, places, partnerships and performance which underpin the Vision to ‘create opportunity’, through its mission, ‘by doing the right thing’.
The Trust is about being transparent and accountable in everything that is done and to this end is one of the first organisations nationally to have established a Residents’ Board, with full delegated powers from the Trust Board, to direct services which impact upon their lives.
The Trust has a comprehensive development programme delivering over 330 new homes including the £12million regeneration of the Treborth Road area of Chester providing new homes for rent, sale and shared ownership, as well as a village green and wildlife habitats.
CDHT also provides services on a partnership basis, to a number of other customers e.g. Telecare services, TrustWorks Maintenance Services, Housing Options advice, waiting list management and choice based lettings to neighbouring local authorities and registered social landlords.
The Trust is rated as two Star excellent by the Audit Commission, has the highest possible rating from Telecare Services Association and is also credited Investors in People and is the overall Employer of the Year For Cheshire West. It has been in the ‘Top 100 Sunday Times best companies to work for’ for the last 3 years, reaching its highest position of 47th this year.
Please visit www.cdht.org or request a copy of CDHT’s Corporate Plan 2009-2014.
CDHT Press Contacts: Phil Brotherhood
E: phil@marketingprojects.co.uk M: 07884 493370
Jane Harrad-Roberts
E: jane@marketingprojects.co.uk M: 07785 395705
W: www.marketingprojects.co.uk T: 01244 330000
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