Look at other Updates

Hillfields in Europe

The Hillfields Partnership Board has invited organisations in the city to support the implementation of the Objective 2 Action Plan for Hillfields. Funding of £1.9 million is initially available and the programme was formally launched at a press event on 10^th February. Initially organisations seeking funding are invited to submit a simple “Expression of Interest” form. The deadline for the receipt of these is 14^th March 2003. Two workshop sessions have been held to assist applicants in filling in the forms. All information about the programme is posted on this website.  Contact John Payne at the Area Co-ordination Office if you want further information or to discuss a project idea.

WATCH Ltd.

WATCH is holding its AGM on Thursday 20^th March 6.30 p.m. at St. Peters Community Centre. John McGuigan, City Development Director, is the guest of honour and will be giving a presentation on the vision for the Swanswell initiative. All WATCH members are encouraged to attend.

Bill Hall from WATCH gave a presentation on the work of the organisation and how it links with European policy at a meeting with European Commissioner Barnier on Friday 7^th March as part of a study tour of Coventry organised by the City Council’s European team.

WATCH is currently recruiting tutors for its new study support centre.

Making Sense of Communities

The Institute of Public Policy Research has now published “Making Sense of Communities” by Vicki Nash and Ian Christie. The book examines the impact of Government policy on communities and makes recommendations for how public policy can be used to strengthen communities. The research was based on a study of three neighbourhoods in Coventry – Hillfields, Earlsdon and Canley. Many local people in Hillfields participated in focus groups or interviews with the researchers and the book includes descriptions of Hillfields and its community. The book is available from the IPPR or from all good bookshops for £12.95. The ISBN is 1 86030 205 X.

Jobs and Training

The WATCH Employment Services Team has been successful with placing 28 people into employment and 8 people into training opportunities over the past month. The Food & Drink Manufacturing Operations training carried out by Neil and Christina from WATCH (for Coventry University) has now been completed and has successfully accredited 6 students with certificates. The next Driving Theory Course, held in conjunction with Henley College, is due to start early in March. A Women’s Jobs & Training Fair is planned for 12^th March 2003 and will be held at St Peters Community Centre, Charles Street, Hillfields. The event is supporting International Women’s Week and aims to attract women into employment and training opportunities throughout the city.  The event is open from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. and has been organised in partnership with Coventry Jobcentre.  For further information, please contact Gina Bansi at WATCH on 7655 0564.

A second meeting of the Jobs and Training Action Group took place on 24^th February. The meeting focused on training provision and gaps and the use of the Objective 2 funding. If you would like to join the group contact Preet Grewal on 7655 0564 or e-mail p.grewal @watch-hillfields.org The next meeting is on 24^th March.

Touchstone Housing launched its new IT training initiative “Clickstart Homelearning” on Saturday 1^st March at the City Football ground. The initiative involves home tutors visiting tenants in Hillfields and giving training using laptop computers.

CBED (Community Based Economic Development) are holding an Event for residents on Wednesday 26^th March 2003 between 10.00am to 2.00pm at The Howitzer Club, at the corner of Victoria St. and Clifton St. The event will look at what Community Enterprise means, how it can help you as an individual and how it can help the Area. If you are an individual who takes an active part in your local community, then see how through Community Enterprise you may be able to make a difference to the economic regeneration of your local area. Through fun exercises explore what already exists in your area and/or what would you like to see in the area. Free buffet and any expenses incurred whilst attending the event e.g. childcare will be reimbursed if requested. If you are interested in attending please contact Preet or Ellie at WATCH on 7655 0564 by Wednesday 19^th March 2003. 

StepUP is a new Job Centre Plus pilot initiative for unemployed people. It provides a chance to progress positively and successfully into employment. It provides employers with cash to cover the Adult National Minimum Wage and employer contributions to employ someone for 50 weeks and support throughout that period. The initiative is being managed in Coventry by Rathbone Training and Support. Employers provide suitable positions within their company without displacing any existing members of staff and nominate a workplace “buddy” to act as a point of contact. They are expected to provide a 50-week contract of employment subject to normal company conditions and appropriate training to enable the employee to carry out the job role. For more information contact SetUP at Rathbone on 7652 6503 or e-mail coventrystepup@aol.com. The initiative is being launched at an event on 14^th March at the Football Ground.

Credit Union

The AGM of the Phoenix Five Credit Union will take place on Tuesday 25^th March at 6.30 p.m. at the Three Shuttles Public House in Howard Street. All members are encouraged to attend. Anyone wanting to join the Credit Union should ring 7663 3456.

Environment

The shrub beds on the Hillfields Village Square will be replanted in April 2003. This will provide more variety and colour to the beds and a new maintenance order has been placed to ensure their upkeep. There will be approximately 10 new litter bins sited in each of St. Michael’s and Cheylesmore wards over the next month. The bins will be placed predominately near to bus stops on thoroughfares with an anti littering message placed at the side. Additional litter bins will be placed across the city during the summer. This is part of the Council’s Keep Coventry Clean campaign.

A review group working in the new City Services Directorate are carrying out a major review in to how street cleaning and the perception of Coventry’s cleanliness can be improved. This will mean method change, additional education, partnership work and enforcement drives. It is hoped that the result will mean Coventry being judged to be one of the cleanest cities in England within 3 years.

The Police and DVLA will be working jointly to remove from streets abandoned and untaxed vehicles and those vehicles removed will be stored in a secure compound. The exercise is set to take place on 17^th March 2003. If successful it is hoped the exercise will be repeated in June.

For information on any of these issues please contact Nigel Fisher at the Area Co-ordination Office on 7622 5052 or email him on nigel.fisher @ coventry.gov.uk

Environment Week runs from 31^st March to 4^th April. A number of events are planned in Hillfields including a litter pick by Southfields School Environment Group at East Street Pocket Park and by St. Mary’s and St. Benedict’s RC Primary School at the Leigh Street Allotments. These have been facilitated by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. A hedge-laying event is planned at East Street Pocket Park in March and workshops with community groups and the local school about the mosaic are scheduled for April.

Osaba Women’s Centre

Osaba’s Open Day on Saturday 1^st March was very successful. On Thursday 6^th March, which was World Book Day, Verna Wilkins from Tamarind Books, a well known publisher of children’s books, held a workshop at Osaba with young children. This was organised in conjunction with the Library Service. A Dance Group has been meeting at Osaba on Wednesdays with two members of Phoenix Knights leading a dance workshop with young girls.

During International Women’s Week the Centre is organising two events. On Wednesday 12^th March there is a Young People’s Arena with games and activities and the opportunity to discuss and find out more about women’s issues especially relating to black women. On Thursday 13^th March there will be an alternative healthy tea party from 2p.m. – 4 p.m. Contact Osaba on 7622 1816 for more information about any of these activities.

Shops and Services

Over the last month or so some exciting new facilities have opened in Hillfields. Thai Spice is a fantastic new Thai restaurant in Victoria Street run by the same family that run the Thai Dusit on London Road. There is an extensive fixed price lunch menu which is tremendous value for money. We also have a new Kurdish shop on Victoria Street selling a wide range of foods and delicacies from all over the Middle East. There are also two new Kurdish café’s one on the Village Square and the other in the ACAD Building in Primrose Hill Street. If you haven’t been to Hillfields for a few months then pop round and see how the area is changing.

Housing

Whitefriars Homes North undertook a consultation with tenants of Pioneer House on Thursday 27^th March about the regeneration of the block, which is being undertaken as part of the overall plans for the Flats. Tenants are being consulted about the improvements they want for their flats when they are refurbished.

Whitefriars are currently decanting tenants from two blocks of flats in Hillfields. Only ten tenants remain to be re-housed from Pearl Hyde House and about half of the tenants of Phoenix House have so far been decanted. Demolition of these two blocks is scheduled over the next financial year.

The Hillfields 12 Tenants Resource Centre (TRC)

Although refurbishment of the TRC is ongoing, the volunteers within the centre are involved in aspects of personal development, several of the volunteers are currently undertaking Money Advice /Benefit Advice Training.  Two volunteers have been placed in the TRC by New Deal and will remain in the centre for 13 weeks as full time volunteers.  One is leading the Money Advice Project and the other is leading on the Furniture Project. The centre enjoys a steady flow of visitors and remains open from 10:30 am– 4:00 pm Monday to Friday. However, volunteers are in consultation with tenants to discuss the possibility of the centre opening one evening per week. The DIY Project, supported and delivered by Whitefriars in partnership with Adult Education, will be teaching tenants how to employ paint techniques and routine plumbing repairs will be starting within the next month.  There are still places available, if interested please drop in to the TRC based in Paul Stacey House.

Neighbourhood Wardens

In response to the initiative mentioned in the last Update, West Midland police and traffic wardens targeted a number of streets in Hillfields over the past month and issued a total of 81 notices in relation to un-taxed cars. 

Community Events

Plans have now been finalised for the Hillfields Fun Day which is to be held on Saturday 22^nd March from 12.30 – 4.30 p.m. at St. Peter’s Community Centre. Activities include free food, art activities, children’s story telling, face painting, Wolly the Clown, information stalls, Hillfields mobile library, relaxation sessions and much more. Entry is free. The event is supported by Arts Exchange, PACT and financed through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and the Health Improvement Programme. For more information contact Natalie Bazeley at the Area Co-ordination Office.

Award Announcements

Imagination Reading Cafe’s have received a grant of £4955 from the Awards for All Programme for a project to stage reading workshops in the Hillfields and Spon End areas of Coventry for adults and children from Asian and refugee communities to encourage reading and develop literacy skills.  The grant will pay for storyteller’s fees, books and other reading materials, venue hire, publicity, stationery and refreshments.

Minorities of Europe has secured a grant of £5000 from the Awards for All Programme. The grant will support a project to produce an interactive CD Rom that will capture the thoughts, photographs and images recorded by young people from the West Midlands who attended the UN’s World Conference Against Racism in August 2001.  The grant will pay for an IT facilitator and the production costs of the CD Rom.

Khalsa Girls Club have secured a grant of £5000 from the Awards for All Programme to support a project to establish this sports and recreation club for women from BME communities in Foleshill/Hillfields, Coventry.  The grant will pay for sports equipment, publicity, hire of an aerobics instructor and stationery.

Public Art: The Future Monument and the Public Bench

Over 3000 people from all over Coventry have already made their contributions. Lots of different groups from Hillfields are already sure of being represented within “The Future Monument”. Would you like yours to be? Many hundreds of individuals have signed up to have their name and that of someone else close to them on a plaque at the back of the Public Bench. Will yours be there too? If you’d like to contact them, email to Coventry701@btopenworld.com or write to Room 701 Coventry School of Art and Design, Cox Street, Coventry CV1

Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Coventry Refugee Centre is organising a Barn Dance in aid of the Refugee Emergency Fund on Friday 14^th March at 7.00 p.m. at St. Osburg’s Church, Barras Lane: Adults £2.50  / Children £1 – pay on the door. Light refreshments available – bring your own alcohol. If you can’t come but would still like to support the “8^th January Refugee Emergency Fund” then contact Penny Walker at the Refugee Centre. The event is being supported by Coventry University Chaplaincy, Coventry University Centre for Social Justice, Churches Together for Refugees in Coventry and Coventry Refugee Centre.

Coventry Refugee Centre has produced a new Fact Sheet about Asylum Seekers and Refugees. This will be placed on the Hillfields Website shortly but in the meantime contact the Refugee Centre for a copy.

Empowering Asylum Seekers to Support the Regional Economy and Local Communities is the title of four regional seminars being arranged by NIACE (National Institute of Adult Continuing Education).    The will raise awareness, inform, collate and promote good practice and identify needs in working with asylum seekers. One of the seminars is to be held in Coventry, at the Techno Centre on 25^th March.  The deadline for booking was 7^th February, but there are still a few places available.  Phone Carl Liquorish at NIACE on 0116 204 4274 for a booking form.

Visits

A group of Police and Groundwork staff came to Hillfields on 28^th February to find out about our partnership working to address Community Safety issues. On the same day a small team from Regenesis in Leamington came to visit WATCH to compare and discuss community work in priority neighbourhoods.

February was another record month for visitors to the Hillfields website. There were 5268 separate visitor sessions during the month and the average stay on the site was over 15 minutes. Visit the site at www.hillfields.org.uk 

Area Forum

The next meeting of the South Central Area Forum will take place on Friday 21^st March at 1.30 p.m. at Cheylesmore Community Centre. The meeting will receive a report on primary health care in the two wards and updates on neighbourhood planning activity. The meetings are open to the public and all interested people are invited to attend. Please contact the Area Co-ordination Office if you need help with transport or carer responsibilities.

City Council directors have now been allocated Area Co-ordination areas and Area Forums to link with. John McGuigan, Director of City Development, continues to support the Phoenix Area Co-ordination Area and the South Central Area Forum.

Coventry Community Plan II

Two Focus Group meetings about the new Coventry Community Plan were organised by PACT and our Community Advocate during February. The meetings gave 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 were held in Cheylesmore Ward on Wednesday 12^th February 2003 and St. Michael’s Ward on Wednesday 26^th February 2003. Both meetings were facilitated by CEDC and were well attended.

New Data about the PACT Area

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

Grant Awards

Baginton Fields School secured a grant of £4175 from the Awards for All Programme for a project to provide additional outdoor play facilities at this school based in Baginton Fields, Coventry for the benefit of its pupils.  The grant will pay for the installation of flat and cradle swings and a swing barrier.

The City Council will be holding another Council Open Day on 12^th April. PACT will be helping with the Area Co-ordination stall. Any Area Co-ordination partners who would like to assist should contact Kath Sciarrotta on 7683 1113.

The Research & Strategy Team in City Development has now circulated key statistics from the 2001 Census down to Local Authority level. Ward level stats should be available in the Spring.  Details can be found on either the Office for National Statistics website (www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/default.asp) or the Council’s website (www.coventry.gov.uk/ cocoon/ourcity/2001census/index.xml)

Older People

CEDC (the Community Education Development Centre) is launching its training pack that aims to support older people who seek to pass on their skills to others of their generation. This work has been supported by DfES and by NIACE, Age Concern and Better Government for Older People. The packs are being launched at a seminar in Birmingham on Monday 31^st March 2003. The seminar is free of charge and will be of relevance and interest to adult education tutors and organisers in voluntary organisations, local authorities, colleges and schools who provide support to older people acting as tutors to their peers. A leaflet about the seminar can be obtained from the Area Co-ordination Office or contact Tricia Curtis at CEDC on 7658 8440.

The Pension Service has organised a programme of outreach sessions at venues around the city. Experts will be available at these sessions to answer questions on Social Security benefits for those approaching or over age 60. All advice is free and totally confidential. Sessions within the PACT area are as follows:

¨      Age Concern Coventry, Alvyn Smith House, 7 Warwick Row. Every Thursday 10.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon.

¨      Cheylesmore Social Club and Institute Ltd, Quinton Park. Fortnightly on Mondays 11.00 a.m. – 1.15 p.m.

Early Years

The Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership is holding an open meeting about early years issues on Tuesday 1^st April 2003 from 9.00 a.m. – 12 noon at the Willenhall Education, Employment and Training Centre, Robin Hood Road, Willenhall. The meeting will include a briefing on the work of the EYDC Partnership, Sure Start, the Children’s Information Service, the Children’s Fund and funding opportunities. It is an opportunity to meet the members of the partnership, share information and find out what the Partnership can do for you. For more information contact Lena Roberts in the Education Department.

Health

The Coventry Primary Care Trust and the City Council have developed a Health Inequalities Strategy, which reflects the priorities and targets set by the Department of Health. The six priorities have been identified as follows:

·        Providing a sure foundation through a healthy pregnancy and early childhood.

·        Improving the opportunity for children and young people.

·        Improving NHS Primary Care services.

·        Tackling the major killers of coronary heart disease and cancer.

·        Strengthening disadvantaged communities.

·        Tackling the wider determinants of health through Government policy.

A half-day seminar on reducing health inequalities in Coventry is being held on 28^th March. If you would like to attend the seminar contact Harjeet Matharu at CVSC on 7622 0381 or e mail h.matharu@coventry-vsc.org.uk

Fairtrade Fortnight is being held between 3^rd – 16^th March. The Council’s Agenda 21 Team is running a competition to win a hamper of Fairtrade produce. There is a £1 entry fee, which will be donated to Comic Relief. Contact Catherine Bower on 7683 2330 for competition details or look out for the Agenda 21 newsletter “Sust”.

Coventry PCT has been successful in securing a grant of £150,000 from the New Opportunities Fund. The grant over 2 years will fund activities to increase fruit and vegetable consumption through a local media campaign, a home delivery service and a money-off voucher scheme. It will engage beneficiaries by working through retailers and training community-based advocates, and linking into the target groups of existing initiatives such as Sure Start and New Deal, and it plans to reach parents of children in the West Midlands School Fruit Pilot.

Sue Langford, Head Teacher at Frederick Bird School, took early retirement at the end of February. Sue has been at the school for eighteen years, starting as Deputy Head of the Junior School, becoming Head of the Junior School and in 1994 Head of the Primary School when the Junior School and Infant Schools amalgamated. Our best wishes and sincere thanks to Sue who has made a major contribution to the school over many year, including its award of Charter Mark Status. Tim Bell is temporarily taking over as Head of the School.

It is with great sadness that we hear that Dami Chauhan from Touchstone Housing has passed away. She was a good supporter of Hillfields and will be much missed.

Mr Babu Garala MBE was honoured by the Shree Krishna Temple and other supporters at an event on Saturday 8^th March 2003.

Welcome to Patricia Evans who has joined the WATCH team as PA to General Manger Bill Hall.

The following are some of the key planning applications in Hillfields, Charterhouse and Cheylesmore Ward received over the past month. It is not a comprehensive list. Anyone wanting to be put on the mailing list to receive weekly details of all planning applications should contact Chris Dowell, in City Development on 7683 2018. All planning applications can be inspected in the reception of the Tower Block, Much Park Street, during normal office hours.

·        40716/A: Unit 1 Wheler Road: Change of use from mixed use to use as offices with ancillary storage and training; and external alterations.

·        50605: 142 Far Gosford Street: Change of use from retail premises (Use Class A1) to cafe (Use Class A3) and retail use (Use Class A1).

·        13117/B: The Salvation Army Hall, Upper Well Street: Demolition of existing building and erection of new worship hall and community facilities.

·        50622: Gulson Hospital, Gulson Road: Demolition of redundant building and laying out of car park, installation of 5 metre high lighting columns and new link access road.

·        21457/D: 72 Far Gosford Street: Change of use from electrical wholesalers to hair dressing studio and installation of security shutter.

·        L/21457/E: 72 Far Gosford Street: Installation of security shutter and internal alterations (Listed Building Consent).

·        23645/C: All Saints C Of E Primary School, Strathmore Avenue: Single storey extension, (Regulation 3).

·        50650: Land adjacent to 7 Baronsfield Road. Erection of a detached dwellinghouse (outline application - siting and means of access being discharged).

New Opportunities Fund: Transforming Waste Programme

The Community Recycling and Economic Development (CRED) scheme will run until March 2007. This programme is designed to support community recycling, reuse and composting projects, to increase the amount of waste collected in deprived communities. The Fund has chosen the Royal Society for Nature Conservation as its award partner to deliver £35.2 million worth of grants. The CRED programme aims to complement existing funding sources for recycling, reuse and composting by encouraging partnership working. The main aims of the programme are:

·        To establish new waste recycling, reuse or composting schemes in areas where they do not currently exist

·        To expand existing waste recycling, reuse or composting schemes through for example, collection of additional materials or expanding the geographical area covered

·        To increase the weight of material recycled, reused or composted through education or awareness raising activities relating to new or existing schemes

Grants are available between £50,000 and £300,000 for each not-for-profit project. There are no specific deadlines for applicants but grants will have to be spent by 31^st December 2006.

Community groups in disadvantaged areas are particularly targeted. Local involvement in projects is encouraged, as the programme will give community groups ownership of their local waste management strategies through encouraging community participation and engaging local communities, thus helping to achieve the sustainable waste management vision and create sustainable communities. Projects must demonstrate appropriate scale, the involvement and support of the local community, a contribution to local waste targets, effective partnership working, innovation, replicability, financial credibility and ability for the project to continue beyond the life of this lottery funding. For an application pack telephone 0845 0000 121.

Community groups and charities in Coventry can take advantage of a free transport offer. The Evening Telegraph and Mercia Vehicle Hire have joined forces to make a Ford Transit van available. Drivers have to be at least 25, meet insurance criteria and pay for fuel. To book the van phone Mercia on 7636 3655.

Axa Hearts in Action have launched “Challenge 2003”. Charities and local community groups are invited to submit a challenge. This can be any initiative that involves teams of volunteers providing practical hands on help in the community. Challenges can range from painting and decorating tasks, to gardening or helping organise a day trip. They should be appropriate for completion in one day by a team of about six – ten volunteers. About 3000 staff in Axa offices in Coventry and Bristol will be involved in the challenges. The challenge will take place over ten working days commencing Monday 30^th June. Groups wanting to submit a challenge should complete an application form and return it by 28^th March. For more information and to obtain a form phone Jo Lawson on 7623 5513. Forms and more information can also be downloaded from this website.

For more information and support with funding issues, contact Coventry City Council’s External Funding Team on 7683 1394 or Email: sarah.crawley @ coventry.gov.uk There is also more information about grants and resources on this website.