We met or succeeded all our set targets and aims.
An organised Fair Share Community Evening in September 2005 was a starting point to make clear where we are now and how we planned to deliver the programme. We wrote a Fair Share Strategy with Action Plans, which were delivered in December 2005.
We follow the National Occupational Standards in Community Development Work and the values of Community Development Work which are: social justice, self-determination, working and learning together, sustainable communities and encouraging participation, and as you can see all these values are reflected in the projects.
Northgate Ward
Training
Event training was designed and delivered to a number of local group representatives.
Personal Development Plans
Personal Development Plans were offered to support people to either identify training needs or to even find a job. The personal development plans were very successful and 6 out of 10 people either got part or full time jobs as a result of the support offered.
Inclusion Projects
Some members of the Northgate Partnership and the ASHA group organised a successful Eid Card and Eid Event in November 2005. With the aim to get closer to your local neighbours and learn about different cultures and communities.
Members from the Bangladeshi Welfare Association organised an Asian Lifestyle event at the Art’s Centre in 2006. This was very successful and over 300 people attended. The day included arts and crafts stalls, food, a variety of different performances. A number of handouts were also there for people to take away and read about Asian Cultures.
North Lodge Park – Park Project Worker
The Park Project Worker has been in post since Spring 2007 and works with the local communities to make the park safer, accessible, enjoyable and to encourage as many people as possible to get involved in project organisation and delivery. They are employed by Groundwork West Durham and Darlington and the post is a great asset for the Northgate community and its visitors.
Baptist Church at Corporation Road
At present the Baptist Church at Corporation Road is seeking funding for urgent roof repairs. They can’t access Lottery money as this is part of their policy. We are committed and determined to raise the outstanding £40,000 to make the Church ‘waterproof’. If you have any suggestions or if you would like to contribute than please don’t hesitate to contact either Iris Pichl-Mordue or Mel Baker at the Church on (01325) 351307.
Chit Chat Café
We started a Chit Chat Café at the Baptist Church to engage people from the local community to come along and get involved or find out about training and volunteering. This was very successful and we had several outings in 2006 and held a classical concert for the locals. The Café is now taking a short break and hopes that a lot of new people might want to volunteer to run this great project.
Social Club for the Blind and Visually Impaired
The Club has run since the mid 1950’s but unfortunately was running out of funds to keep the club going. Within a few weeks we secured emergency funds for the next three years. We also secured money from Fair Share for some structural costs and the Tees Valley Delegated Grant is completely funding the ‘YOU CAN DO IT’ project that will help visually impaired people to gain some skills to find employment.
Since the re-launch in January 2008 the club has already new members and is networking with other groups. They now put together an annual event and activity plan which includes a variety of interests such as sport. Everybody involved WELL DONE!!!
Central Ward
Inclusion
The Central Ward organised two International Days in 2006 and 2007 (and over 1200 people attended the events). The International Days are part of the aim to reach out to as many people as possible and to encourage social and racial tolerance. To get such days delivered takes a lot of commitment from local volunteers and their families. Over 100 people are involved prior to the event and at the day of delivery.
The attendance and feedback of these days are excellent and well worth the effort. People started attending exercise and belly dancing lessons, workshops have more response, people, and especially the younger generation, learn about different cultures and traditions. We have people starting to learn instruments and having new friendships forms.
A Multi Cultural Football team started and held training sessions and a tournament in 2007 that involved over 150 young people and their parents.This has been a really successful project. Sport was the obvious engagement point and glue of this project with all its positive ingredients to the young people involved. There was also an additional benefit to this project, which was to bring people from a variety of cultural backgrounds together on a regular basis over a period of 8 months and therefore encourage community cohesion.
This was a great opportunity to encourage social and racial tolerance amongst young people. Furthermore, it demonstrated to the parents/carers of the young people that their children are welcomed. This project had the all important fun factor that could lead to long lasting friendships. One important point is that creates not a great experience for the here and now but creates positive childhood and family memories to look back upon.
The Gypsy and Travelling Community had a contribution from Fair Share to run a Homework Club 2006/07. Members from the UK Association of Gypsy Women instigated this project with the aim to support young people to achieve. This has been a successful project that was lead by the Gypsy and Travelling community .
St. Hilda had a ramp and lift installed at their building in 2007 to make service accessible for wheelchair and buggy users.
YMCA was successful leveraging funding for extensions on their building in Middleton Street. Building work is now starting and once it is finished communities are encouraged and welcomed to use the community building 2007/08.
Pensbury Street Park
The Pensbury Street Residents group tried to revamp their park since early 2000 with frustratingly slow progress from outside agencies. Working together with the Fair Share Worker in the first instance and than mainly with the Council Community Development Worker with support from Groundwork, the determined Pensbury group is finally on its way with builders on sight. Fair Share is proud to say that they invested the first money to allow this project to develop. Our admiration goes out to all the residents involved in this project and the amount of time and work invested to get this off the ground was outstanding.
Community Directory
The Community Directory took quite some time to pull together. The idea is to give people an on-the-door-step service to find out what, where and when activities and groups are held at various venues in the Central Ward. This project had plenty of good feedback.
Funding
We have raised over £600,000 (Fair Share and match funding) over the past two years and are committed and determined to make the Fair Share grant to go a long way to make positive and long term changes where its needed.
The Future
There are a number of excellent projects to get excited about for 2008.
Community Bus
Three groups independently identified the need/want for a community bus to give people a better chance to access training, experience outings and other things. At present researching possibilities and hope to have a community bus rolling on the road for the summer.
Scouts – Widdowfield Street
This is possibly the most exciting project for 2008. The Northgate residents have been trying to get a community building in the ward for many years. The Scouts hut in Northgate is ready for a big make-over to make the building great for the Scouts and all their activities and also open it up as a Community Building. This is very much in its infancy right now but we hope to report to you soon on progress.
Play Project
The Northgate community would like a play project that will cover many different events and activities throughout the year.
Toy Library
The Darlington Toy Library has just submitted an application to Fair Share for running costs of their van for the next three years. This will enable children and their families to access toys.
Please do not hesitate to contact Iris Pichl-Mordue for any queries you may have about Fair Share.
Iris Pichl-Mordue
Fair Share Community Development Worker
CVS Buildings
Church Row
Darlington
DL1 5QD
(01325) 486748
iris.pichl-mordue@darlington.gov.uk