News (2009)

New location for NORCAS Services

Please note that the Norcas Drop-in Service is no longer held at the Neighbourhood Centre on King Street. If you require their services, their contact details are:

59 North Quay
Great Yarmouth
NR30 1JB
Tel: 01493 857 249
Fax: 01493 859 181
Email: gt.yarmouth@norcas.org.uk

Sign up for the East Coast Run 2009 and get your free I LOVE GY t-shirt or vest.

The next East Coast Run, organised by Great Yarmouth Road Runners in association with Great Yarmouth Borough Council, is taking place on Sunday the 25th of October 2009. As part of our Wellbeing work, Comeunity would like to encourage all residents to sign up for this great event. From Monday the 10th of August, all residents that sign up through the Neighbourhood Centre will receive an I LOVE GY vest or t-shirt to wear during the race. But hurry, stocks are limited!

The race, which starts and finishes in St Georges Park, will follow a route that will take in historic landmarks around the Town and the Seafront. Also, for the first time, a 1 mile Family Run around the park will commence immediately after the start of the main race.

To support participants in the lead-up to the race, ex-Olympian Paul Evans is providing a training programme, workshop sessions and ongoing support and guidance to novice runners. Training Plan

Entry forms can be downloaded here Entry Form, or picked up from the Neighbourhood Centre at 143 King Street. And remember, there are many prizes up for grabs!

For more information, pop into the Neighbourhood Centre or contact Marie Hartley (Culture, Sport and Leisure Manager with Great Yarmouth Borough Council) on 01493 846 354.

Playday Publicity

Please note the venue for Great Yarmouth's Playday has now been changed to: St. Nicholas Recreation Ground, South Beach Parade, Great Yarmouth (between Kings Road and Dickens Avenue, opposite the Pleasure Beach). This is instead of St. Georges Park with other details remaining unchanged. Visit Playday Publicity for full details.

Revolution Skate Park Opening

The Revolution Skate Squad invite you to their opening event on Saturday 25th July, 12 - 5pm, at St Nicholas Recreation Ground, Great Yarmouth. RSS FREESTYLE is part of the London 2012 Open Weekend supported by BP - an open invitation to get involved in the three day national celebration marking the countdown to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The youth group have been working on their project to develop a skatepark in the Great Yarmouth area for the last 18 months, so the event will be a celebration of their success. Central to this event will be a skateboard and BMX competition open to all. Further details can be obtained from holly.notcutt@communityconnections.org.uk.

To see who else has been checking out the Revolution Skate Park development visit rideukbmx.com/news/great-yarmouth-concrete.html.

02 Community Grants

If you are part of a local club or society and would like help in obtaining resources for a project then 02's Community Team, in association with Beach Radio, has the funds to assist you. So long as the project is sustainable (in other words, once the money has been spent, the project will continue to have an impact), they'd love to hear from you. Successful applicants can receive grants upto £1000.
To apply go to www.thebeach.co.uk/on-air/info.php?refnum=2570 and scroll to the bottom of the page. The closing date is July 7th.

GYLSP Neighbourhoods Fund Latest

The Working Neighbourhoods Fund specifications are now online. Go to www.gylsp.co.uk and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Melting Pot Family Day a Great Success!!

Over the past year, Comeunity has been supporting SeaChange Arts with the running of a series of Melting Pot Cabaret events. These events have been aimed at providing local people with positive, creative and uplifting activities in their communities, all aimed at fostering community cohesion and the development of a safer night-time economy. On Sunday the 14th of June the Group ran a very successful Family Day in St Georges Park. This included a Brazilian dance workshop, art workshops with Indonesian painter Lestari Surnami James and Portuguese Painter Maria Serano, a community art workshop with Jankie D, and face painting for children with local artist Hayley Bird.

Because Lithuania is celebrating the millennium of its name in 2009, children from Great Yarmouth's Lithuanian School, together with teachers, parents and other community members, did Origami Cranes from yellow, red and green materials (Lithuania'a National Colours), which were displayed around the park.

The event attracted around 300 people, which included more than 100 people from the Lithuanian community. The event also saw representatives from the Lithuanian and Spanish Embassies attend the event.

To see photos of the day visit www.delfi.lt/news

It's a Girl!

For local residents and partners who know Leon our Neighbourhood Officer, you will know he and his wife Karen have been eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child. Elena Martha de Beer was born at 11:02pm on Thursday 4th June after a gruelling 48 hours. Elena is a welcome new addition to the Neighbourhood Team.

The 6th Grey 2 Green Project is completed at Victoria Place!

One of the first envisaged Grey 2 Green projects by original Neighbourhood Manager Tony Carter was completed in May, marking the 6th Grey 2 Green projects to be completed.

Norfolk County Council funded a major resurfacing programme for the connecting pathways and Norfolk Constabulary funded the installation of two individually designed Alleygates, depicting Queen Victoria, from whom the area took its name. The Comeunity Programme has overseen the development of the scheme supported by C J Yardley Landscaping with local residents shaping and designing the end result.

Due to the recent warm spell of weather the grass has been somewhat scorched, although this is due to be remedied in early Autumn with a re-turfing programme to be undertaken by Norfolk County Council. We hope you are as impressed as we are with the end result! Many thanks to the local residents and surrounding businesses who have helped to make it happen.

Latest on Revolution Skate Squad Park

Building work on the new skate park starts 1st June and is to be completed by end of June. Open day and Competition event scheduled for Saturday 25th July. Competition for Skateboarders, BMXers and Bladers. For all those under 18 parental consent will be needed in advance of the competition.

Details can be obtained from holly.notcutt@communityconnections.org.uk.

New Resident Support Guide!

It's only mid-April, but the Comeunity Wellbeing Working Group has already completed its first project for 2009/10! Because all of us are feeling the pressures related to the economic climate in the Country, we thought that we would try and provide local people with that extra bit of support. The Handy Services In Your Community Resident Guide is aimed at providing residents in need of support with a quick and easy reference guide to services that could potentially assist them in these difficult times. The guide includes 15 sections, ranging from benefits to health to employment and training to housing and much more.

To use the guide, simply click Resident Support Guide and click on the relevant section. Alternatively, download the document and print a hard copy to keep handy in your home.

Ministerial Visit to Neighbourhood Centre

The Neighbourhood Centre hosted an Easter visit from Vernon Coaker MP, Minister of State for policing, security and crime on Thursday 9th April. Vernon got to see the operation of the Neighbourhood Centre as a Norfolk Constabulary Reporting Point and the partnership work between the Police and other agencies being developed in South Yarmouth. The highlight of the visit was a presentation from the Revolution Skate Squad on their work to develop a teenage skate provision for their community. Vernon was particularly impressed with the dedicated work of young people and volunteers working to make South and Central Yarmouth a safer, more enjoyable place to live.

Don't Let Your Neighbourhood Slide.. Build Some Pride!

As always, we've been hard at work over the past 12 months to, in close co-operation with residents and agencies, improve life for local people. Through the Comeunity Pride Working Group, which sees residents and service providers working together to tackle a range of environmental issues, we've delivered various successful projects, including:

• Grey 2 Green - local residents, supported by our Grey 2 Green Team, working together with service providers to improve small community spaces and make them safer, cleaner and greener. Completed projects include Swirles Place, Fox's Passage, Runham Vauxhall and Peggotty Road. Up and coming schemes are Victoria Place, Louise Close, Patterson Close and Camden Passage.
  
  
• My Back Yard - local residents, supported by our Community Development Worker, the Borough Council (GYBC) and Great Yarmouth Borough Services (GYBS), building ownership of and taking responsibility for their immediate areas and streets
  
  
• Neighbourhood Environmental Management Officer - a partnership project between us and GYBS to employ a dedicated Officer to work with local people and agencies to come up with ways to respond to environmental issues, not only through quick-fixes, but by getting organisations who deliver services to work together more effectively and in a more coordinated way
  
  
• Clear bag recycling - a partnership project between us and GYBS to support homes who don't have access to recycling facilities and provide them with clear bags for recycling.
  
  
• Litter bins relocations - a new project scheduled for 2009-2010, which will involve residents working together with us, GYBC and GYBS to look at improving the locations of bins around the area.

We have just launched an intensive marketing campaign to raise awareness of the environmental work that has been done and the projects that have been developed, all of which have been 100% resident led, along with encouraging local people to become more involved with our work. We are asking people to take ownership of their local environment, to take pride in it, and to work together with us to make Yarmouth a cleaner and greener place for all.

To get involved, come along to the next Comeunity Pride Working Group meeting on the 21st of April at 10am at the Neighbourhood Centre at 143 King Street.

St George's Chapel - Have Your Say Today!

The refurbishment of St George's Chapel and the regeneration of the King Street area recently took a major step forward with £3 million of Government funding that was secured through the Sea Change Project. A further sum of up to £5 million is being sought from a number of other funders, and decisions regarding this will be known by the end of April. The project aims to make St George's Chapel and the surrounding area the focus for greater cultural and artistic activity, and will hopefully make the area a great place to live and visit.

Everyone involved is very excited by what the project can do for the area and we are keen to get the details right, especially making sure that local people have a say about the plans that are being looked at. We would therefore like to ask your opinions about what is being proposed. This will help to ensure that all the changes that are being considered can be agreed in time for work to start at the end of summer.

The public consultation for the St George's Chapel and King Street Regeneration Project is taking place throughout March into early April. Anyone interested in looking at the plans and having an input into what is being proposed, can visit one of the following locations, where displays can be seen and questionnaires obtained, which can be completed and submitted to express views, preferences and record comments:

• Marina Centre
• Town Hall
• Christchurch
• The Neighbourhood Centre at 143 King Street - a computer-generated representation of the interior, along with the proposed plans, can be viewed here. Alternatively, you can book a computer to have a look at this, by phoning 01493 845929.

A number of manned exhibitions will also be run throughout March, should you like to speak to someone in person:

• Saturday the 14th of March at Market Gates Shopping Centre from 10:00-16:00
• Wednesday the 18th of March at the Market Place from 10:00-15:00
• Thursday the 26th of March at Christchurch from 17:00-20:00

Copies of the questionnaire can also be downloaded here (Paper Copy or Electronic Copy) and completed questionnaires can be dropped of at the Neighbourhood Centre, emailed to Leon de Beer at ldb@great-yarmouth.gov.uk, or posted to:

Norfolk County Council
FREEPOST NC22093/8
Planning and Transportation Department
FAO David Wardale
Martineau Lane
Norwich
NR1 2BR

We would like to encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to help us shape the vision for this exciting project!

If people require any of the information related to this project in another language or format, please contact us at the Neighbourhood Centre on 01493 845929.

GY Hosts Regional Visit - 26/02/09

Officers and politicians from around the region descended into Great Yarmouth on Thursday 26th February to see the good work demonstrated by communities in the borough trying to make a difference.

The Regional Empowerment Partnership hosted the event in light of Great Yarmouth's recognition as one of 18 National Empowerment Champions. Council Leader Barry Coleman opened the event and Executive Director of the Borough Council, Jane Ratcliffe, gave an overview of recent and forthcoming initiatives.

Delegates on the day got to hear first hand from local residents who have been involved in a range of community projects from the residents involved in the Swirles Place Community Garden to the young people involved in the development of a Skate Park on St Nicholas Recreation Ground. Visitors also got to hear the fantastic work of a group of young people - the "Sunshine Crew", running activities for children in their community during the school holidays. A trip to Gorleston to see the Halfway House Co-operative was also a highlight of the day.

Feedback was extremely positive and the work of the Comeunity programme in South and Central Yarmouth, through its partners, seen as exemplary practice in delivering a community empowerment agenda.

If you would like to find out more about Comeunity or get involved, come and see us at the Neighbourhood Centre, 143 King Street, or log onto the web-site www.comeunity.info.

Above are photos of Rob Greogory (Neighbourhood Manager) welcoming the delegates, Michael Blank (Chairman of the Neighbourhood Board) discussing the merits of neighbourhood management and members of the Revolution Skate Squad informing the delegates about their skateboard park project. Click photos for full view

Fond Farewell

As many of you may well know (the bump is pretty hard to miss!) Jeanne Goncalves our front of house CLIP worker is off on Maternity leave at the end of January. Jeanne, who has been with the Comeunity programme from the start, has worked hard to ensure the CLIP service meets the needs of local residents and as a result has developed it into an extremely useful and successful service. The Comeunity team and all at the Neighbourhood Centre would like to thank Jeanne for all her hard work over the years and wish her all the best in the future.

Jeanne Goncalves gave birth to a baby boy on Friday 6th March. The boy, named Raphael, weighed in at a healthy 7lb 11ounces. Many congratulations from all at Comeunity.

New Opportunities

With a new year comes new challenges, but also new opportunities. And as always, Comeunity is doing its best to support local people with a range of activities, projects and services. We are currently running a campaign to make people aware of and give people the opportunity to become involved in the work we're doing to promote opportunities into training, employment and volunteering.

Need some one-to-one support? Interested in doing some training? Want to save some money? Interested in doing some volunteering? Pop into the Neighbourhood Centre at 143 King Street, South Yarmouth and come and speak to us about how we can help you access some of these opportunities!

Brightening up your Life! - 13/01/09

In response to the many difficulties local people are facing due to the current financial climate, Comeunity are once again trying to help where we can. We would like to invite local people to drop into the Neighbourhood Centre on King Street and tell us how Comeunity lights up their lives. In return for this we will give them 2 free energy saving light bulbs. The Neighbourhood Centre is open between 09:30 and 16:30 weekdays and all local residents are welcome! But hurry, we only have a limited supply!

Locality Working Roll-out

As a result of the consultation on the roll-out of locality working in Great Yarmouth a revised Business Case has been prepared. This was presented to Great Yarmouth's LSP Board on 12th January. Detailed funding and implementation plans are currently underway. It is anticipated that work will start in the pilot localities from April 2009. More details are available on the downloadable files below...
Neighbourhood Management across the borough update
Locality Working Consultation Update