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Welcome

Welcome to the February edition of the PACT Update. Don’t worry – you haven’t missed an edition. In order to avoid confusion the Update editions will now be known by the month that they are published in. Since the Update was first started it has been referred to by the month that was being reported – so this edition would have been the January edition. Now, consistent with most magazines and newsletters we will call the edition after the month that it is published in. To further help avoid confusion we will give an edition number to each Update. So this is edition number 73 – yes the Update has been published consistently since May 1996 and this is the 73^rd edition. Don’t forget to send us information to include in the next Update. The deadline is always the same – the end of the month!

The PACT office has prepared a progress report on the year 2002. If you haven’t received a copy please call the Area Co-ordination Office or download a copy from our website www.hillfields.org.uk

Focus Group Meetings

Two Focus Group meetings about the new Coventry Community Plan are being organised by PACT and our Community Advocate during February. The meetings will give interested local community groups the opportunity to find out more about the Community Plan and participate in the establishment of priorities in an interactive way. Meetings have been organised for the two wards as follows:

Cheylesmore Ward – Wednesday 12^th February 2003 at 7.35 p.m. at Quinton Park Baptist Church, Quinton Park.

St. Michael’s Ward – Wednesday 26^th February 2003 at 7.30 p.m. at St. Peter’s Community Centre, Charles Street.

Both meetings will include light refreshments. They will be facilitated by CEDC who are organising the consultation process. If you would like to discuss these meetings or if you need help to get to them then contact John Payne at the Area Co-ordination Office.

Returning your Consultation Forms

The Area Co-ordination Office has been designated as a location where you can return your completed Community Plan prioritisation forms. The forms have been distributed through Coventry Contact and various other publications. The completed forms can be returned to any newsagent, library or Area Co-ordination Office.

Objective 2 Action Plan

The Hillfields Partnership Board has been successful in winning support from Government Office for the West Midlands for an Objective 2 Action Plan amounting to £1.9 million. The Board is planning to hold a press launch and invite bids for funding on 10^th February. Initially organisations seeking funding will be invited to submit a simple expression of interest. The deadline for the receipt of these is 14^th March 2003. A workshop will be held later in February to give guidance on completing the application forms. The expressions of interest will be appraised and successful applicants will be invited to complete more detailed application forms. Further information will be sent out shortly and all information will be posted on the this website. If you haven’t received a copy of the information by 11^th February then contact the Area Co-ordination Office or download the information from the Internet.

WATCH Ltd.

Following the departure of Kam Rai, Gina Bansi is acting up in the role of Employment Services Manager.  She can be contacted on 7655 0564.

The NRF funded Homework club at WATCH starts on Monday 10^th February. It runs from 4.00 p.m. – 6.00 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays at the ICT suite at WATCH and is aimed at raising the attainment of Black and Asian young people. The project, which is a partnership between WATCH and the Education Service, will provide homework support, activities, IT use and residential trips for children at Key stage 2 (i.e. aged 11 –14). For further details contact Liz Cotton at WATCH on 7655 0564.

Jobs and Training

The Jobs and Training Action Group was re-launched on Monday 20^th January 2003. The aims of the group are as follows:

¨      To identify local needs and gaps in provision in relation to jobs and training services.

¨      To co-ordinate and avoid duplication and encourage joint work between organisations in this field, in order to maximise the use of resources.

¨      To improve information sharing and knowledge of what is going on in this field and to profile the organisations delivering it.

The next meeting of the group will be held on Monday 24^th February 2003 at 2.00 p.m. at St. Peter’s Community Centre. If you would like to join the group come along to the meeting or contact Preet Grewal on 7655 0564 or e-mail p.grewal @watch-hillfields.org

Touchstone Housing is introducing an innovative new IT training opportunity for its tenants in Hillfields. Called Clickstart Homelearning, the project involves free home visits by trained advisers with Laptop computers who provide computer training for new users, or “brush up your skills” for existing users. Available sessions cover Getting Started, word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, database, desktop publishing and Internet - you choose the subject. The project is a partnership with Coventry City Council’s Adult Education service and the Learning and Skills Council. It runs from 1^st February – 31^st March 2003. Anyone completing three topics can claim a free £15 Smiths Voucher. For more information contact your Touchstone Office or telephone 0845 950 7200. Touchstone Housing are holding a fun day at the football ground on March 1^st to promote Click Start and learning in general. Henley College, the mobile Library service, City College and Arts Exchange are also involved in this.

The CBED project (Community Based Economic Development) has produced an interesting report on the lessons learned from this European project which operated between 1998 and 2001. If you would like a copy contact Polly Dickinson on 7683 3832.

Environment

The Weaver’s Green Residents Group is still wanting to trace the owner of No 66 Freehold Street. The last people living there were Ms Helen L Snape until 1968, the house was then empty in 1969 and in 1970 John and Elizabeth McRae lived there for one year. The property was subsequently demolished and has remained as green open space since then. The group has submitted a planning application to establish a public recreation green space (Doorstep Green) with BBQ area, sandpit, etc. Work is planned to go ahead in May or June. Anyone with information about No 66 should ring Lorella Medici on 7623 0068.  

Community Safety

A group of people from the Community Safety Action Group and Police Liaison Committee visited the Police Museum on Wednesday 18^th December where they were “entertained” by the gruesome exhibits. The Police are willing to organise a further visit if there is sufficient interest. Contact the Community Safety Officer if you are interested.

Neighbourhood Wardens

On 18^th December, which was a double pension day, the Neighbourhood Wardens visited both post offices in Hillfields with Police Officers, the Crime Reduction Officer and Age Concern. They spoke to 25 residents, gave out plug-in nightlights and pension book holders as well as a leaflet highlighting the problem with burglary over the Christmas period.

Another example of the value of the Neighbourhood Warden project was demonstrated in December when the warden team noticed children playing on the frozen canal. They contacted British Waterways who sent a tugboat down to break up the ice. British Waterways were very impressed with the initiative shown and we were impressed by their speedy response. 

One of the themes noticed by the wardens has been the large number of untaxed cars on the street. The Police and DLVA are now planning a joint operation to tackle this problem.

Following the reporting of two stolen cars by neighbourhood wardens Bill and Wayne, the Police were able to make arrests. At the end of January they found two handbags which had been stolen from individuals. They were able to return the property, which included a pension book, reading glasses and a passport, to their rightful owners. For more information about our neighbourhood wardens project, contact Amy Foster at the Area Co-ordination Office, on 7655 0479.

Community Events

The traditional Hillfields Community Carol Service was held on Wednesday 11^th December at St. Peter’s Community Centre. It featured favourite carols sung with the help of Southfields School Choir, seasonal refreshments and a guest appearance by Father Christmas.

More than 150 people attended a very successful outdoor Community Carol Singing event on the Village Square on Monday 23^rd December. Residents were summoned by groups of hand bell ringers and eleven carols were sung with free hot chocolate and lollipops given out. The rain held off for all but the last ten minutes of the event and then stopped in time for the clear up afterwards.

The Urban Rangers Project has published its events programme for the next six months. The leaflet gives details of events along the Coventry Canal, including an event called “A hunting we will go” at the Snake in the Grass near Freehold Street on 17^th April. Copies of the leaflet are available by phoning 7623 1306 

Coventry City Farm

Coventry City Farm has a full programme of events lined up for the Spring. Highlights are as follows:

·        Saturday 15^th March, 11.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m. Car Boot Sale

·        Saturday 5^th April 11.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m. Whitbread Action Earth Day. Events on site for adults and children and free refreshments for all who join in.

·        Saturday 19^th April, Come and see the Easter Bunny and receive your free Easter Egg. He will be there at 10.30 a.m., 11.30 a.m., 12.30 p.m., 1.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. Also for the children – workshop 11.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m. – come and paint your Easter egg and make your Easter Card.

·        Wednesday 23^rd April 2003. Bric A Brac stall 11.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m. (Bric a Brac still needed – no clothes or books please).

·        Saturday 24^th May – Family Fun Day and 20^th Birthday Celebration 1.30 p.m. – 5.00 p.m.

Public Art

On your way into town you will have noticed that the area between the Old Fire Station and the Motor Museum has been cleared. Before long it will be a wide open space surrounded by cafes and shops with several big Art Works within it. Two of these, called the Public Bench and the Future Monument will be by a German artist well known in Europe called Jochen Gerz. The point of both of these artworks is that they invite participation by the public, by people living in Coventry. All you have to do to join in is to fill in a form.

The Public Bench will be a huge long curved bench (40 metres long) running along the wall of the Motor Museum. On the back of the bench which you lean on there’ll be lots of plaques each bearing pairs of names and a date. Anyone can have a plaque of their own for free if they can nominate someone else to share it – that someone can be a friend, a partner, someone alive or someone who has died who you would like to commemorate.

The Future Monument is just what it sounds like, a monument to the future, to a better international peace. It’ll be a tall glass obelisk, lit from below. In front of it on the ground will be eight plaques, each bearing the words: To our friends the ------.  Which nations will be represented here will depend on your votes answering the following question: Which countries are your friends now and in the future, but were in the past your enemies?  Behind the monument will be lots of smaller plaques. The plaques will bear the names of groups of Coventry people with an interest, a hobby, a religious persuasion in common. All a group has to do to get a plaque for itself is to produce 40 signatures.

If you’d like some forms or you’d like someone to come and talk to your group about all this please let us know by writing to room 701, CSAD, Coventry University, Cox Street, Coventry or email to room701@btopenworld.com.

News from Arts Exchange

Following the success of the ‘Hillfields Public Art Challenge’, Arts Exchange is once again embarking on a busy year of art events and project work in Hillfields. We are now perpetuating the links with local groups in the planning and delivery of workshops under the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. This offers local residents the opportunity to learn new art skills and be part of the community consultation which will bring further permanent public art works to the area. This will raise the profile of Hillfields city-wide and give participants the chance to feel a sense of pride and ownership, enabling us to collectively make an impact on the regeneration of the area from a real grass-roots stance.

Individuals and groups are invited to participate in a number of ways, and age and arts experience should not be seen as a barrier to taking part. Arts Exchange has funding to deliver work in a number of areas; our projects are ‘Baseline Arts’, ‘Hillfields Art and Recycling Project’ and we have links with ‘Hillfields Libraries and Learning Project’.

Baseline Arts:

Artwork promoting healthy eating, exploring fun ways to learn about the nutritional values of foods and, as an artistic end product, educational games and a carnival costume to be used at local events. Projects include:

Ø      A mural project for the One Stop Shop, a local advice centre which provides services for young people with an emphasis on issues concerning teenage pregnancy, sexual health and housing. 

Ø      A garden and arts project for residents of the Cyrenians’ men’s hostels, to improve their living environment and to encourage team working, skill sharing and personal development. 

Ø      Some project work is aimed specifically at schools and the young people they serve. Artists will be available to do residencies in schools and the projects will be designed to complement existing school curriculum activities at both primary and secondary level. We aim to both improve students’ portfolios for examinations and look at vocational opportunities in the visual arts.  We want local youth to contribute to the consultation process and to the design and making of public art. 

Hillfields Art and Recycling Project (HARP):

For the long-term success of the project, we need to know your views on appropriate sites for recycling bins.  Any suggestions can be put on questionnaires (available from Arts Exchange or on the Hillfields web site) and posted back to us at Arts Exchange, 16, Lower Holyhead Road, Coventry, CV1 3AU, telephone (024) 7655 3533

The most exciting part of this project has to be the challenge we are setting local children and youth: to design and paint artwork for the outside of these bins, so that they become attractive to look at.  The interesting twist is that the murals have the potential to change every time the bins are lifted to be emptied!  Work has begun at Hillfields Play Centre and will soon move on to local schools and events.

We will also work with the CROW recycling project and their employees and trainees to provide a new mural to be enjoyed by passers by and so that the trainees can do artwork towards their certificated coursework.

Hillfields Libraries and Learning Project:

Arts Exchange is complementing the work of this project by exploring ways of promoting the use of Hillfields’ new mobile library services.  Using the visual and literary arts to bring books alive through storytelling and images, we will also help refurbish the new mobile library with a more individual touch.  

Hillfields Website

There were 3607 visitor sessions on the Hillfields website in December and a record 4894 in January. The average stay on the site was 20 minutes in December and 17 minutes in January. There is lots more information on the website. 

Health

Appointments have now been made for the new NRF funded Health Development Project in Hillfields. The post is to be organised as a Job Share with two workers sharing the role. Rina Sarna, currently working for Area Co-ordination’s Policy and Support Team, is seconded to work on the project three days a week on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, starting on 5th March. Helen Cressey will be working for two and a half days each week, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesday mornings, starting on 10^th February. The posts are based in the Area Co-ordination Office and will be managed by the Health Development Unit in Environmental Services. For more information about this project contact Jean Arrowsmith on 7683 1898.

The Primary Care Trust takes possession of Harry Salt House on Monday 10^th February. The building has been refurbished to become a half way house for recovering mentally ill patients. They are holding two open days so that people can look around the building before the residents move in. These are on Thursday 13^th February between 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. and Friday 14^th February between 12 noon – 5.00 p.m. Why not drop in and meet the staff and take a look round.

Asylum Seekers and Refugees

Rules about the provision of support for “in-country” asylum seekers changed on 8^th January. From that date anyone who applies for asylum will not get any support unless they have applied at the first opportunity – this is interpreted as being at the port of entry. The new rules do not apply to families with young children but they are having a significant impact in terms of increasing the number of destitute people in the city. At the time of writing at least twenty people are already in this situation and the number is growing daily. Coventry Refugee Centre has called a number of meetings to try to find help from within the voluntary and charity sector as the local authority are not allowed by law to help. If you are able to help in anyway then contact Penny Walker at the Coventry Refugee Centre.

Tenants Resource Centre

Twenty six people attended a Christmas event at the Tenants Resource Centre on 23^rd December. It was an opportunity for tenants to meet each other and local staff in a social gathering with food and refreshments. The Project has already achieved its target by recruiting 15 volunteers and has temporarily ceased recruitment. Anyone still interested in volunteering should leave their name with Terasa Allwood on 7622 0600 or drop into the centre. The centre is currently being refurbished and an official re-launch is planned for next month.

Children and Young People

Southfields School held a celebration event to mark the opening of its remodelled and extended school buildings on Wednesday 5^th February. The event included a welcome by children in twelve of the twenty mother tongues spoken by pupils in the school. Cllr Duggins, Cabinet Member for Education, cut the ribbon to release hundreds of gas filled balloons to the cheer of children and parents. 

Older People

The Combined Senior Citizen’s Association was awarded a grant of £4000 under Awards for All. The grant will pay for travel costs, artists and professional fees to provide a programme of activities for elderly people in Hillfields.

Osaba Women’s Centre

Osaba Women’s Centre is holding an Open Day on 1^st March 2003 from 10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m. There will be displays about the work of the centre, lots of fun stuff for the kids, drinks and light refreshments. Your are encouraged to drop in to meet the staff and look around one of the most important organisations in Hillfields, which is this year celebrating its 21^st anniversary. The Birthday party is planned for October.

Visits to Hillfields

The Regeneration Practitioners Group, which is a national group of regeneration practitioners, held its meeting in Hillfields on 8^th January 2003. The group is examining the relationship between regeneration practice and community coherence. Local resident Farid Noor is a member of the group and arranged for it to meet in Hillfields and look at what we are doing in the neighbourhood.

Charterhouse

Seven appointments have been made to the City-Centre Street Warden project. The team is currently undertaking training and will start patrols during the first week of February. They will cover the City Centre and Far Gosford Street. Amy Foster is currently acting as team leader until the post is filled.  Look out for the new team who have yellow fleeces! 

The Phoenix Five Credit Union is starting a weekly collection point at St. Anne and All Saints Church Hall. Collections will be every Tuesday afternoon, commencing on 11^th February. Anyone wanting to enrol in the Credit Union should drop in at the collection point and pick up an application form. 

Work has started on the Groundwork project to build a new garden at St. Anne and All Saints Church. Diggers are on site at present and it is hoped that the scheme will be finished before the end of March. Groundwork has also applied for planning permission for the first phase of improvement work on the Charterhouse Fields which includes footpath construction.

Area Forum

A meeting of the South Central Area Forum took place on Thursday 12^th December 2002 at Sidney Stringer Community Technology College. The meeting focused on youth issues and included the involvement of young people. There were presentations about youth projects in the area including Rapace, MASC and Sidney Stringer School Council.

An additional special public meeting of the Forum was held on Friday 31^st January 2003 and was dedicated to a presentation by City Development Director, John McGuigan, about the developing plans for the Swanswell Project.

The next meeting of the Area Forum is due to take place in March but at the time of going to press it is possible that the date of the meeting may be changed. The meeting will include a focus on Cheylesmore issues and will be held in the Ward. Further information will be provided as soon as it is known.

Life Skills

Relate has received funding to put on a number of training courses in priority neighbourhoods in the city. The organisation would be interested in talking to any organisation that would like to go into partnership with them on the provision of this training. The idea would be that the local organisation would provide a venue and crèche facilities and would recruit participants for the course. Relate will provide the trainer and all course materials and accreditation certificates etc. The courses on offer include Parenting Skills, Coping with Divorce and Separation, Empowering Single Parent Families, Assertiveness, Handling Stress, Communication skills and Counselling for non-Counsellors. Any interested organisation should contact Dave Blowers or Angie Edmonds on 7622 5863 or e mail relatecoventry@hotmail.com If there are any financial or other barriers to taking up this offer, then discuss them with the Area Co-ordinator who might be able to help. 

New Data about the PACT area:

The latest local unemployment figures for the PACT area are shown below.

 Newly published data about household income levels in the neighbourhoods of the city and the change from 2002 are shown below:

COVENTRY AREA, WARD AND PRIORITY NEIGHBOURHOOD – 2002 HOUSEHOLD INCOME DATA

 House Prices Around Coventry

House price data for postcodes in the city is shown below.  The cheapest house prices in the city are found in Hillfields (CV1:5) and the most expensive area is in Wainbody (CV4:7) where new executive housing has pushed up the average.