Local Residents Decide on Environmental Improvements - 29/04/08
The Community Partnerships for South and part of Central Yarmouth have merged to create the Comeunity Forum; creating a mechanism for local residents to have a say and influence the decisions that directly effect them.
Over 60 people attended the meeting held at St James Church, Admiralty Road on 29th April, including 41 local residents. The theme of the meeting was waste and recycling and residents plotted potential locations for much needed glass and communal recycling facilities, along with areas of concern from an enviro-crime point of view. The issues are to be fed into the Comeunity Pride Working Group, which will in turn work with other partners to provide a direct response and propose some sustainable solutions.
Members of the public attending a Community Partnership meeting at St James Church
The forum includes a quarterly coming together of residents and other stakeholders, but also a series of street events and activities to engage those residents in local decision making, who may not traditionally engage. Community Development Worker, Holly Notcutt who is employed by Community Connections and works as part of the Comeunity Programme suggested "we wanted to make a direct link between issues that residents raise and action on the ground. This alignment between partnerships and a range of different engagement methods ensures that the Comeunity Programme had help to align its delivery with the needs of a wider cross-section of residents. We are really encouraged by the number and range of residents to turn out to this event."
For those residents who were unable to attend one of the Comeunity Forum events, the team are pleased to have your input either via the on-line Comeunity Forum or via the CLIP at The Neighbourhood Centre.
The Arrival of an Ancient Tree helps turn a Grey Space Green - 28/04/08
A 170 year old tree trunk from Sheringham Park was delivered to Peggotty Road Community Centre, by crane on Monday 28th April as part of the third Grey 2 Green scheme to be delivered by the Comeunity Programme.
The arrival caused quite a spectacle with the closure of the adjacent Admiralty Road. The crane was ‘donated’ to do the work, together with skilled operatives, by Guardline Marine Services subsidiary Richardsons Dry Dock in Gt Yarmouth. Guardline have one of their main offices just opposite the Centre and have been great supporters of the work of the Centre in the past.
Delivery of a 170 year old tree trunk to the Peggorty Road Centre
The tree trunk was a special gift from the National Trust Sheringham Park who had to fell the tree when it became diseased. The tree was a 70ft high 170year old Sweet Chestnut which was probably part of the original Repton designed landscape in this lovely parkland in North Norfolk. Keith Zealand (Property Manager for the Trust) said that "the Trust was very pleased that a tree which had been a significant feature of a Norfolk Park should become a special feature of a new Norfolk community garden where it will be appreciated now that it could no longer be a part of the Park".
The work to regenerate the area around the Centre has been initiated by the local community and Peggotty Road Community Association and supported by the Comeunity Neighbourhood Management Programme as part of the Grey 2 Green project. Local residents and users of the Community Centre have participated in a series of community planning events to design an improved greener surround to the Community Centre on Great Yarmouth’s Barrack Estate. The Peggotty road projects is the latest in a series of Grey 2 Green schemes aimed to revitalise run-down and forgotten open spaces in South and Central Yarmouth. The schemes have received specialist design assistance from landscape architects Chris Yardley and Mike Brackenbury.
The work to install both the tree trunk and the majority of the garden is being conducted by GYB Services. Some of the garden planting will be carried out by members of the community and it is hoped to undertake a special planting day on 24th May with children who use the Centre in conjunction with the BBC Springwatch programme who will come to film the event.
Seamless Support Courses - 22/04/08
Social Enterprise is the business model for the 21st century Practical one day courses that tell you all you need to know about starting up a social enterprise. Fully funded through Seamless Support to any individual or group based in Norfolk. Outside Norfolk also welcome at a charge. For more information or to book a place please contact Susanna on services@the-guild.co.uk. Seamless Support Courses
New Delivery Plans launched - 01/04/08
The Neighbourhood Delivery Plan for 2008 to 2010 were launched at an extended Board meeting for local residents and other stakeholders at Christchurch on Thursday 27th March.
The recent Middlegate Visioning Exercise, Residents Perceptions Survey and mid-term programme Evaluation all fed into the design of the plans for the next two years. A series of resident-led working groups have been designing these plans over recent weeks to ensure they genuinely meet the needs of their local neighbourhood and are sustainable in the longer term.
To see a copy of the delivery plans please check our new project pages.
Local Residents Leading Improvements to their Neighbourhood -20/03/08
Residents in the Market Roads area of Yarmouth are now able to sit back and relax as over a year of hard work has finally paid off. Members of the Market Roads Community group and active local youth group Sunshine Crew have been working side by side to give their neighbourhood a well deserved makeover. As part of the Grey2Green project, both groups and other local residents got involved in various community planning events, supported by the Grey2Green team, and continued to gather and refine ideas, prioritise, plan and design the small green space opposite Swirles Place.
The ’Comeunity’ programme, which heads up the ’Grey2Green’ project, concentrates on working to improve the quality of life in South and Central Yarmouth, with local residents at the centre of decision making. Grey2Green is a partnership project, working with Community Connections, GY Borough Council, GY Borough Services, County Council, and C. J. Yardley Associates. Local residents take the lead from the very start on re-designing small, neglected spaces in their neighbourhood, and are involved at every stage of the process turning a previously ’grey’ area into a revived community space.
During the course of the last year the Market Roads Community Group kept residents updated through regular meetings, flyers, newsletters and a community fete. Meanwhile, the Sunshine Crew, supported by ’Comeunity’, Community Connections, and Broadland Housing, kept the green space high profile, giving it a mini makeover in the summer by planting flowers and creating colourful hanging baskets for the surrounding residents. Just over a year later, the difference is obvious. A once tired looking patch of grass is now a great community space, with local residents putting in the finishing touches by getting together to plant the flower beds with GY Borough Services.
 Swirles Place before makeover |
 Swirles Place after makeover |
Other areas in the Grey2Green project include the nearly completed Fox’s Passage, Victoria Place, Louise Close, Peggotty Road, and new sites at Artillery Square and Runham Vauxhall.
Do you have ideas on how your area could be re-vamped? If so contact the Grey2Green team on 845920, or pop into the Neighbourhood Centre at 143 King Street. Alternatively you can visit the website www.comeunity.info for more information on the ’Comeunity’ programme.
75 Local Residents Linked into Employment Pathways - 19/02/08
An innovative project to tackle issues of unemployment in the borough’s most deprived wards has heralded several early successes after just twelve weeks of delivery.
Target Opportunities provides a gateway and support service for local residents in South and Central Yarmouth by linking them into employment, training and volunteering opportunities in the local area. The initiative which started at the end of October last year has already supported 75 local residents, 52 of which have progressed onto further informal and formal training opportunities.
Rob Gregory, Neighbourhood Manager, explained, "during local consultations residents expressed the need for a tangible link between training and actual opportunities in the labour market. There also appeared a lack of seamless support, which meant local residents were very often passed from pillar to post when wanting to explore the opportunities available. The Target Opportunities programme has evolved in response to these issues. We are overwhelmed by its initial success and are keen to explore its development over the coming months."
Simon O’Leary from NVS explained that the project draws upon the diversity of services offered by Great Yarmouth’s third sector, adding "The great thing about Target Opportunities is that it acknowledges volunteering and training as important steps towards gaining employment".
Target Opportunities is a pilot project being delivered by Norfolk Voluntary Services and GYROS as part of the Comeunity Neighbourhood Management Programme in South and Central Yarmouth. For further information please contact Target Engagement Lead: Simon O’Leary on 01493 845925 or pop into the Neighbourhood Centre at 143 King Street, Great Yarmouth.
The Target Opportunities Team
Valentine's Day at the Neighbourhood Centre - 19/02/08
Love was in the air at the ’Comeunity’ Neighbourhood Centre on King Street on St. Valentines Day. Staff and volunteers at the centre welcomed passers by and visitors with balloons, heart shaped cookies, ’I love GY’ badges, postcards and car stickers, and the occasional ’free hug’ for those who wanted one!
The ’I love GY’ campaign was launched at the end of 2007 as part of the ’Comeunity’ neighbourhood management programme, and was felt to be the perfect way to celebrate St. Valentines Day! The campaign was designed around generating positive community spirit towards life in South and Central Yarmouth, encouraging local people to celebrate all the good things about the area.
The ’Comeunity’ programme, which launched in June of 2007, has supported a wide range of local initiatives, most recently including the promotion of the Kittywitches Centre at 156 King Street, offering free sexual health advice and contraceptive services for local residents.
If you did not get a chance to visit the Neighbourhood Centre on St. Valentines Day you are not too late. You can still drop by to find out ways to collect limited edition ’I love GY’ merchandise from the Neighbourhood Centre CLIP office, open weekdays from 9.30-4.30, where you can also find support from a wide range of services available. Alternatively you can visit the website www.comeunity.info for more information on the ’Comeunity’ programme.
I Love GY and Valentine's Day PhotosThe Future of your Community? - 01/02/08
Meetings were held across the Borough of Great Yarmouth for members of the public to express their views and opinions regarding the development of the town. They were designed to help the Local Strategic Partnership deliver services which would make a difference to the lives of local residents.
Meetings were held at the following places:-
- Martham Village Hall
Monday February 4th, 6.30pm - The Priory, Great Yarmouth
Friday February 8th, 12 noon - Magdalen Methodist Church
Tuesday February 5th, 10am
The People and the Park: the way forward - 18/12/07
Firstly, thank you to those who were recently involved in ’The people and the park’ session at Park Baptist Church, in November.
As we discussed at the session, the next steps were to pull together all of the information gathered and create a report to go to the Cleaner Safer Greener (CSG) Board, which manages the developments of the park.
Everyone at the session was invited to help us to write up the report and we were pleased that some local residents took us up on our offer! Lots of hard work was put into creating the report, which is now finished, with copies available at the CLIP at The Neighbourhood Centre, 143 King Street. If you would like to be sent a copy of the report, please let us know on 01493 845920. Alternatively, if you have access to the internet you can download a copy from our website, at www.comeunity.info.
Members of the local community at the St Georges Parkway Scheme meeting
On Thursday 13th December the report was presented to the CSG board, and it was received positively. They have taken on board the comments and issues raised around the consultation process and have stated their commitment to working with the community and partners earlier, and more closely, on the future phases and schemes.
If members of the community wish to be involved with the park projects then there is the opportunity to work with the events committee who are working towards the event for the official opening of the park. More details of this can be obtained from The Neighbourhood Centre, 143 King Street.
A full copy of the report can be downloaded from Community Involvement in the St Georges Parkway Scheme Final (3.97MB pdf file).
Street Outreach - 26/11/07
NORCAS have launched a period of Street Outreach for those with alcohol issues in the neighbourhood. Richard Knights, Street Outreach Worker, will be working closely with those drinking on the street to support access to a range of services and agencies. Richard will also be working with local residents to address community concerns and raise awareness of alcohol-related issues. This work has been part-funded by the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership and the Comeunity Programme. To find out more please drop into the Neighbourhood Centre and have an informal chat with Richard.
Great Yarmouth Floods - 09/11/07
The East Anglia coast was subjected to a severe flood warning from the Environment Agency for the night of 8th November. Many hundreds of residents living in Great Yarmouth were evacuated as a precaution but were able to return to their homes the following day as the flooding was not as severe as expected. In the end the main area of Great Yarmouth affected was South Quay when water came up through the drains. Fortunately the damage was slight.
Photographs taken at the time by Jeanne Goncalves of the Neighbourhood Centre can be seen on the Your Pics page. (09/11/07)
Ghoulish fun at Neighbourhood Centre - 07/11/07
It was a night of gruesome fun in South Yarmouth on Halloween. Over 70 local residents joined in the ghoulish celebrations during the course of the evening from apple bobbing, to face painting, to costume making local kids got to enjoy some tricks along with some treats at the Neighbourhood Centre on King Street. A cocktail of ghost drool was on offer for those braver party goers.
Local resident and organiser of the evening Jamie McGarrity explained "It was a great way to provide an alternative to going out and trick or treating. Everyone seemed to enjoy it, the young people especially".
A team of detached youth workers were also out on the streets during the evening to sign-post young people back to the Centre. The local Safer Neighbourhoods Team reported a low-level of neighbourhood-based disturbances on the evening. Photographs of the evening can be viewed on the Your Pics page.
The event forms part of the work currently taking place in South and Central Yarmouth around Community Safety, supported by the ’Comeunity’ Neighbourhood Management Programme.
For more information call into the Centre at 143 King Street, or call 01493 845920. (07/11/07)
Hazel Blears comments on the Grey 2 Green project - 27/10/07
Great Yarmouth and Ipswich Councils have been named by Hazel Blears as two of 18 councils - two from every region of the country - as 'empowerment champions'. Already pioneering a range of people power measures, these councils will work with other areas of the country to show empowerment in practice, share the lessons they have learned and help others to revive their local democracy through twinning programmes and regional empowerment road shows. (27/10/07)
More details available by downloading the pdf file.
Neighbourhood Management Programme is looking to appoint a consultant - 26/10/07
The Comeunity (Neighbourhood Management) Programme is looking to appoint a consultant to co-ordinate a cross-cutting visioning exercise for the Middlegate Estate in Great Yarmouth. The vision will inform the development of a neighbourhood plan for the Estate. Key to the success of this exercise will be skilled facilitation of community involvement and the ability to engage a range of service providers and other stakeholders.
Further details can be obtained by downloading the Invite to Bid Visioning Exercise Middlegate and Neighbourhood Management Action Plan files below.
Adobe Reader FormatInvite to Bid Visioning Exercise Middlegate
Neighbourhood Management Action Plan
MS Word Format
Invite to Bid Visioning Exercise Middlegate
Interested In Research?
- Are you a resident of South or Central Yarmouth?
- Interested in asking questions?
- Making sense of numbers?
- Talking to people?
- Have you thought about developing skills in Research?
- Priory Research Services are offering 10 local residents the unique opportunity to particpate in an 8 week FREE accredited training course in research skills.
Venue: The Priory Centre, Priory Plain
Dates: Every Thursday 29th Nov - 31st Jan 2008
(Informal interviews 1st Nov) Time: 10am-2:30pm (lunch included)
For more information call into:
The Neighbourhood Centre, 143 King Street, 01493 845920 or
Priory Research Services, The Priory Centre, Priory Plain, 01493 743042
Further information is available by downloading the Comeunity OCN Information Document and the Action Research document below.
Adobe Reader FormatComeunity OCN Information Sheet
Action Research
MS Word Format
Comeunity OCN Information Sheet
Action Research
The first edition of a free Community newspaper for South and Central Yarmouth has just been published. The eight-page edition will be delivered with the Great Yarmouth Advertiser but copies are available at the Neighbourhood Centre on King Street. It is packed full with interesting articles about what is happening in the neighbourhood.
A PDF version is available for download by clicking on the link below. You will need Adobe Reader to access this file. Click on the Download link at the bottom of the main menu.
If you would like to contribute to the newspaper, either by sending in an article or story, or perhaps with its design, then contact the Neighbourhood Team on 01493 845920 or e-mail rt@great-yarmouth.gov.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.
Comeunity Board members and volunteers paid a trip to Lowestoft on 3rd October to celebrate the launch of Lowestoft Together's Neighbourhood Centre on Surrey Street, Lowestoft. The visit provided a real opportunity to share good practice developing locally around neighbourhood management. A return visit for the Lowesoft Together programme is planned for the end of the year.
The Great Yarmouth and District Volunteer Centre will be moving premises to the Neighbourhood Centre in October.
It will be sharing accommodation with its colleagues from the Great Yarmouth Voluntary Sector Partnership, who are also part of Norwich and Norfolk Voluntary Services.
A launch for its volunteers is planned for Monday 8th October at the Neighbourhood Centre, starting at 12.30pm.
Two local resident groups are celebrating after being awarded funding to develop two green pockets in the neighbourhood. Swirles Place, close to Market Gates Shopping Centre and Fox’s Passage, just off of York Road, have been awarded over £35,000 to create two improved communal spaces, planned and designed by local residents. Jean Fisher, Secretary of Market Roads Community Group, explained, “We knew what we wanted, but we didn't know how to proceed. It was the Grey 2 Green programme that helped us to make these connections.”
To find out more about Grey 2 Green and to propose an area, contact the Neighbourhood Management Team on: 01493 845920
 Fox's Passage |
 Residents designing open spaces |
Residents are being encouraged to sign up as a member of the Rainbow Anglia Saver Credit Union before the 7th September to qualify for a low-interest loan before Christmas. Credit Unions provide a low-cost, affordable alternative to doorstep lenders. To find out more come along to the Neighbourhood Centre, 143 King Street, every Friday 10am-12pm or the Priory Centre, every Wednesday 10am-12pm or call Julie Stevenson on: 01493 845922.
A summer activity scheme for children in the Market Roads area, led by older teenagers has been heralded a massive success. Supported by a Comeunity Builder grant the Sunshine Crew have provided a range of summer activities from movie making, to mural painting. This culminated in a trip to Norwich City Football Club on 29th August to meet Football legend Jeremy Goss. Co-project leader Daniela Balls says, “The activities worked really well. We learnt a lot and the children really enjoyed it. We had lots of support along the way”. The group were supported by Community Connections and Broadland Housing Association. They are planning more activities for the October half-term. Watch this Space!
 Team leaders Sara and Daniela |
 Junior members |
An innovative partnership project is about to embark in South and Central Yarmouth targeting a range of opportunities in volunteering, training and employment to local residents and young people living in the neighbourhood. The project being delivered between the Great Yarmouth branch of Norfolk Voluntary Services and GYROS, is aiming to channel a range of local initiatives to the residents that could benefit from them the most. Paul Cheeseman, Project lead explains; “This programme is exciting as it provides an opportunity to bring together a range of services in an easy to use directory, whilst offering training and support to Comeunity Neighbourhood Mentors. We are very pleased to be working alongside GYROS whose support will ensure that the programme has good reach and scope.”
The project will also provide a range of neighbourhood events, drop-in sessions, outreach and a with culminate in a large Opportunities Fair. For more information contact Paul Cheeseman on: 01493 845994.
If you have any interesting news items relating to your local community then let us know. Contact us using the methods listed on the Contact Us page or pop into the Comeunity Office at 143 King Street. You will be made most welcome.
Tom High (cc Health Trainer) is now based at St James Health & Resources Centre. He can be contacted on 07799 643 423.
