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The construction work at Stacksteads has come to a temporary halt for a few weeks. We are going to wait until the weather warms up slightly so that the contractor Landscape Engineering can return to site safely to complete the final pieces of work. These include replacing the existing bridge to the inlet to the River Irwell and surfacing the macadam paths with tar spray chip to give a more natural appearance and better grip underfoot. They will also be establishing some wildflower areas, topping up the stone paths and making good any areas of disturbed ground with topsoil and grass seed.

Notices will be put up before the next phase of work starts, which we are hoping will be completed by Easter.

In the meantime, enjoy the site!

Families from Brierfield are having a great time at the weekly sessions on the Children’s Allotment at Bent Head, Brierfield.   The latest sessions saw over 60 children and adults make ‘cress catterpillars’ and fruity kebabs for us all to share.

We all had fun making things to grow and eat and its great the children get involved with other things that they couldn’t do at home.  Childminders Karen & Adele say “The children just love it, it’s a really useful resource and the fresh air makes bed time easier!”

Fiona from LCC getting stuck in creating Cressy Catterpillars

It’s not just the organised activities either – the allotment provides space to dig, move dirt, chat to new friends, take time out to colour or play house.

Next family day is Thursday 16^th August 10.30 – 2pm – we’ll be making scarecrows and hot potatoes in the cob oven.

And let’s not forget the work of our fantastic volunteers who are helping to improve facilities on the allotment – they’ve cleared areas of weeds, put up new guttering to help us conserve water, painted the fencing around the baby area and this week put in a whole new edging strip along the fruit tree area.

If anybody is interested in volunteering at The Children’s Allotment or would like more information about group / family session then ring Liz on 07946 281757.

I had a great time today at the launch of The Community Orchard at Hyde Park. There was a great turn out to see all the hard work that had gone into the area…some fantastic pieces of art by the way!

Fantastic speeches by group members, the Mayoress and local Councillor and heart felt poems which were read out by local school children really added to the day.

I’ll let the pictures do the talking! Thanks for the invite and great working with you over the past year. Keep in touch x

Here’s the link to a four minute film about Tameside’s Hyde Park Orchard, telling the story of how local people have been involved in the project to make it a fantastic place for the community:

http://youtu.be/jMXg0qj7jYA

A number of new features are being installed, including an entrance sculpture and wildlife trail, an outdoor classroom, wildflower meadow, soft fruits, information boards as well as seats and a banqueting-style picnic table.

The new facilities in the orchard will be launched next Wednesday 11th July 1.30 – 3pm.
Please RVSP here if you would like to attend: http://hyde-park-community-orchard.eventbrite.com/

The film and orchard improvements have been funded by Groundwork UK and Big Lottery Fund’s Community Spaces Programme. The film was made by Boz Heyward and Phil Korbel.

A group of local supporters has been formed to help organise community activities in the orchard -  please contact hydeparkorchard@gmail.com if you are interested in getting involved.

Read more about the project on the Operation Farm blog at http://www.operationfarm.wordpress.com

Residents on Shackleton Grove, Bolton have really got into the community groove recently with all sorts of successful events going on. Bolton at Home and Johnson Fold Residents Association have been key to this success at one such event which Martin attended at the weekend. Everyone was celebrating the fact they had just completed an environmental improvement project with the help of funding from Community Spaces.

What was once a derelict, underused piece of land, attracting antisocial behaviour is now an accessible, attractive, usable space for all to enjoy. The day was celebrated with pasties, peas and red cabbage (Charlies favourite!), the animal man and Gnome painting. It was a great afternoon!

Proffitt’s are looking forward in continuing to work with Bolton at Home and Johnson’s Fold Residents Association with some planned community development training starting very soon.

Well done!

Earlier this week staff from Proffitts assisted a really active community group  known as Operation Farm. They do great work, currently in Hyde Park, Tameside. The activity this week was planting of a wildflower meadow in the orchard. Local school children came to help and loved every minute of it, learning about why wildflowers were important and how things grow.

Heres a link to their web site with a few photos www.operationfarm.wordpress.com

http://www.tameside.gov.uk/pressreleases/sow

Thanks Operation Farm for the invite. Hope the rest of the project goes as well.

Edgeside Park play area was officially opened at weekend, in spite of the cold weather! Many people turned up to support Edgeside and District Residents Association and Rossendale Borough Council celebrate the brand new facility, the first of many that are planned in the park over the coming years. Proffitts initially assisted the group with sketch designs and cost estimates for the project which were successfully used to obtain funding from Community Spaces for the new facility.

At the event was owl and hedgehog sanctuaries, a face painting stall, music, singing and a brass band and a chocolate tombola. People even got the chance to get involved in some hedgerow planting along the boundary of the new play area.

Now let’s cross our fingers for the warmer weather to come back!

Greensleeves Community Allotments just off Oban Drive in Shadsworth have certainly proved themselves recently. With the help of funding from Community Spaces, faciliatated by Proffitts the group have managed to give the local community a food growing resource that will last. Lauraine Fletcher (main contact for the group) said “everyone cant wait to get stuck in – I’m inundated with calls from schools, local people and other groups who cant wait to use the site”. It was the sites official opening day today which went really well. BBC’s Panorama were even there, with the programme going out in June or July later this year! Hope its positive!

Proffitt’s – Investing in Communities have recently secured grant monies from Lancashire County Councils ‘Central Gateway’. The funds are to be used to identify and work with 12 community groups in each of the council areas of Lancashire on a range of community focused projects – anything from allotment group formation / support to township action planning and management. Tim Blythe for the County Council’s Environment & Community Projects Team said “if Proffitt’s are able to take up some of the demand we have on our service, and drive forward positive change with local communities and add value to county resources then we are all going to be winners, especially the communities in which we work. I’m expecting the enthusiasm of Martin and his team to show tangible benefits at the end of this 12 month programme”. The work has started immediately with the first project being worked up in partnership with Pendle Borough Council and Brierfields Children’s Centre.

Young people we are working with got a treat last week when they got to motocross for the afternoon up on the hills of Rossendale. We are working with 8 young people who are in turn organising a series of trips for their peers associated with wheeled sports, in the main, but also newer sports such as free running. The first trip has been organised to take around 40 young people to UK skate park this Saturday 25th Feb.