A total of 850 pupils from Wood End and Henley Green in Coventry were given the chance to see this year’s Belgrade Theatre pantomime for free, thanks to the theatre’s involvement with the A Night Less Ordinary scheme, which offers free theatre tickets to under 26 year olds in an aim to get more young people into theatres across the country.
Pupils from St Patrick’s Primary School, Moathouse Primary School and Henley Green Primary School, were able to travel to the theatre and enjoy a performance of Beauty and the Beast for free, as a result of the Arts Council England scheme that is supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The Belgrade Theatre was directed to these schools by the office for New Deals for Communities, a Government funded community-led initiative aimed at improving neglected and disadvantaged local communities.
Antony Flint, Director of External Affairs at the Belgrade Theatre, explained, “We’ve been very successful making the free tickets for under 26s scheme work in the city and have recently been commended by the Arts Council for our delivery of it, but to me, this the highlight so far.”
“Right from the start we were keen to give young people from the less affluent areas of the city the chance to come to the theatre, and seeing the school children coming in over the last week has been simply wonderful for everybody involved.”
Henley Ward Councillor, Ed Ruane, is also a big supporter of the scheme that has benefited pupils in the area: “I’m really pleased that these children have been given the opportunity to attend the pantomime and seeing the wonder and excitement on their faces as they came in today is hugely rewarding for all concerned.”
“I’d like to thank the Belgrade Theatre and the New Deal for Communities office for working effectively to make two different government initiatives work well together in a way that has made a huge difference to the children in these three schools.”
ENDSFor further media information or images please contact Ray Clenshaw on T: 024 7684 6703E: rclenshaw@belgrade.co.uk
Ian Austin MP, Regional Minister for the West Midlands, is coming to Coventry to announce that the £360m redevelopment of the north-east of the city is to go ahead, despite the economic slowdown.
The MP is in the area to officially open New Deal for Communities’ £11m Moat House Leisure and Neighbourhood Centre, which signals the start of the major physical change in the four NDC neighbourhoods.
The redevelopment of Wood End, Henley Green, Manor Farm and Deedmore is due to start in April 2010. The project is being led by Whitefriars Housing Group, in partnership with Coventry City Council, Coventry New Deal for Communities (NDC) and private sector partners Bovis Homes, Keepmoat Homes and Westbury Partnerships.
The details of the scheme were finalised with the input of local residents. It will see up to 3,328 new homes being built over the next 12 – 15 years. Work will also take place to improve the local environment. New roads, shops, green spaces and play areas are planned.
Coventry City Council granted outline planning permission for the redevelopment in January 2009.
Ian Austin has engaged the support of key government regeneration agencies, including the Homes and Communities Agency and Advantage West Midlands, who has pledged to contribute £10m funding to ensure a start on site in April 2010.
He said: “It’s really important that we provide real help now and get projects like this on track to keep the construction industry moving, save jobs and boost the economy.
“I am delighted to announce that I have been able to secure agreement to a package of measures which will ensure that the redevelopment of Wood End, Henley Green, Manor Farm and Deedmore proceeds despite the economic downturn.
“I have worked closely with the local and regional organisations to ensure this project can go ahead. As a result construction work on the first 600 homes, out of a total of 3,000 to be delivered over the next 15 years, will start on site by April next year.”
The regional minister’s involvement was welcomed by local residents. Martin Smith, who lives in Henley Green, is chair of the residents’ Regeneration Action Team, which is helping to shape decision-making on the redevelopment.
He said: “This is really exciting news for local residents. The announcement from Ian Austin gives us more reason to celebrate as we can finally tell residents when the scheme will begin. The opening of our new Centre is a clear signal to the community about what this area will be like in the future, especially as it was residents who called for this to be one of the first redevelopment projects. Our role as the Regeneration Action Team is now to keep working with the developers and other officers to make sure we continue to influence the design and build of our new homes.”
Councillor Gary Ridley, Cabinet Member (City Development) said: "I am delighted at the news of this funding – it's great for the NDC area and for Coventry. We have worked closely with local people to ensure that we make real and lasting change for the people who live there now as well as for future generations.
"Due to the economic downturn, housing developments across the country are grinding to a halt so it's fantastic news that it's all systems go in Coventry. The leisure and neighbourhood centre is a truly impressive building. It has rightly set the design bar high and I am confident the new homes will be equally impressive."
David Ward, managing director of Keepmoat Homes, on behalf of private sector developers BKW, said: “We have continued to work with the local community and planning officials over the last two years, in a very challenging environment. Our ability to successfully achieve planning consent on a scheme of this quality and nature clearly demonstrates BKW’s commitment to community regeneration.”
Moat House Leisure and Neighbourhood Community Centre, on Winston Avenue was funded by Coventry NDC and is a new state-of-the-art building that was prioritised by local residents which combines leisure facilities with a neighbourhood centre. It also benefited from a £1m donation from the Football Foundation.
In addition to a sports hall, fitness suite and football pitches, local agencies, such as Coventry New Deal for Communities and social services have offices on site. Local people are also already enjoying the café and internet facilities.
This new building, which is in the heart of the four neighbourhoods that it serves, is part of the wider regeneration programme that is being led by Coventry’s New Deal for Communities. The organisation has already helped deliver new schools, improved educational attainment, lower crime rates and unemployment and improvements to health.
Contact Details
New Deal for Communities Office
The Old Health Centre
Hillmorton Road
Wood End
Coventry, CV2 1SG
(024) 766 22964
Moat House Leisure and Neighbourhood Centre held its first Family Fun day on Saturday 30th May, welcoming more than 500 visitors to test out the facilities at the new centre.
The event, funded by NDC and Coventry Sports Trust, started at 10am through to 8pm. Staff ran taster workshops, sports activities and football sessions as well as family fun activities like bouncy castles, henna tattoos, live music and face painting throughout the day. There was also an all-day barbeque, ice cream and live coverage of the UEFA Championship league for parents.
Richard Marrs, General Manager for Moat House Leisure Centre said: "The event was successful in attracting and enticing local families to road-test some of the activities we have on offer at the centre."
Further events are planned for the summer at Moat House Leisure and Neighbourhood Centre, for more information call 024 7684 1720 or email richard.marrs@coventrysports.org
Coventry Ndc Shortlisted For Best Community-Led Organisation
Residents are crossing their fingers following news that Coventry New Deal for Communities has been short listed in the best community-led organisation category at the 2009 Regeneration and Renewal awards.
The resident-led regeneration programme has been working since 2001 in the four neighbourhoods of Wood End, Henley Green, Manor Farm and Deedmore in North East Coventry after central government awarded £54million to the area.
The award will go to the best community-led organisation that can demonstrate effective regeneration impact in a specified period based on evidence of how the local community is represented in the governance of the organisation, as well as the impact of the scheme.
Martin Smith, one of the local residents who sits on the governing Partnership Board said: "The local community has played a key role in the NDC decisions made over the years through regular meetings and consultation so to be short listed for the best community-led organisation is great news.
NDC Director Afzal Hussain said: "Community involvement is at the heart of the NDC programme and residents have been instrumental in approving the £360m redevelopment, £11m Leisure and Neighbourhood Centre and £1m Environmental Improvements.
Strong community leadership and governance means that the future is bright for local residents as they negotiate local services from key agencies"
This is the second year Regeneration and Renewal magazine have held the awards to reward and recognise inspirational regeneration work across the UK within the public and private sector. There are 18 categories in total and Coventry NDC will be up against Kensington Regeneration in Liverpool which has also been short listed in the same category.
The awards presentation will take place on Wednesday 23rd September at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London where all projects will be profiled before the audience and winners announced . For more information on the 2009 Regeneration and Renewal Awards visit www.regenawards.com or for more information about Coventry New Deal for Communities visit www.coventryndc.org.uk
Coventry's Young Advisors are urging you to make time for play at their local park on Wednesday 5th of August as part of National Play Day.
Play Day, the annual celebration of children’s right to play, is being held at Moat House Park in Henley Green from 12 – 4pm and also coincides with a consultation event ahead of a £500,000 revamp planned for the park.
The Young Advisors, funded by Coventry New Deal for Communities (NDC), will be hosting an afternoon dedicated to play whilst inviting residents to give their thoughts on what improvements what they would like to see in their local park.
Young Advisor Conar Hennedy, aged 16 from Deedmore, said: “Because this year's theme is make time for play we would really like parents to join in with their children on the day and have a great time”.
“We've got lots planned for the day so make sure you put this date in your diary and come along.”
Young Advisors have arranged for a number of different activities and equipments to encourage children and adults to play on the day ranging from inflatable materials, a giant water slide, face painting, donkey riding and much more. There will also be a range of food available on the day and an ice cream van on site.
Play Day will also be a chance for residents to feedback on a design brief for NDC's £500,000 improvement plans following a 'walking audit' earlier this month where resident group Friends of Moat House, landowners and local Councillors inspected the park grounds.
Plans for the park, subject to consultation, include;
- Recreating a central, formal area to the park with lawned and planted areas to create a more welcoming family environment,
- Creating welcoming entrance features, widening and levelling footpaths,
- A new and improved play area
Kevin Maton, Henley Ward Councillor and NDC Board Member said: “It’s so important that we improve our open green spaces, and I’m delighted that Moat House Park will be transformed into a quality neighbourhood park for everyone to enjoy.
"The City Council is committed to seeing this park maintained once the work is complete and we fully support the efforts of all partners involved."
The Play Day event and the Moat House Park consultation is taking place from 12 – 4pm at Moat House Park on Wednesday 5th August. For more information on Play Day events planned for Moat House Park please call Coventry Young Advisors on 024 7662 2964 or pop into NDC offices at Moat House Leisure and Neighbourhood Centre.
Residents living in North East Coventry joined local ward Councillors and agencies to carry out a 'walking audit' at Moat House Park in Henley Green.
The inspection took place on Friday 10th July at 2pm and was prompted after resident group Friends of Moat House Park raised concerns about the state of their local park at an Environment Management Group (EMG) run by Coventry New Deal for Communities.
The inspection will allow residents to highlight what they would like to change within the park in order to create a design brief for a landscape architect ahead of major improvement plans for the park.
Maggie Armstrong from Friends of Moat House said: "We will be looking at how to improve seating, lighting, footpaths, cleanliness and landscaping. Residents really want to see the park restored to being a park we can feel proud of."
EMG has allocated around £500, 000 to improve the park and the audit will be identifying what equipment already exists in the park, what condition it is in, where the primary access points are and if the current signage is appropriate.
Local resident Graham Randall, Chair of the Environmental Management Group said: "I believe it's really important we start to look at how to improve the park now as it has such great potential to be a family friendly relaxing space for the whole community."
The results of the audit will be shared with the wider community on National Playday on August 5th at Moat House Park. A programme will then be produced to get work underway before the end of the year. The results will also be used for a comprehensive management plan to address standards are maintained once the work is complete.
For more information about the Moat House Park walking audit or Environmental Management Group please contact Ellie House, Capital Projects Development Officer on 024 7662 2964.
A pioneering project in Coventry will receive £1.6 million of Government funding to create environmentally friendly energy supplies to the homes at a new regeneration scheme.
The regeneration project at Wood End, Henley Green, Manor Farm and Deedmore estates in North Coventry – collectively known as the WEHM area – has been approved for Low Carbon Infrastructure (LCI) funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).
The funding will be used to create a community ground source heating system to supply hot water and heating to the first phase of 154 homes on the site, which are due to start construction in April 2010.
This innovative technology will use ground source heat pumps, which utilise natural heat from the earth, in conjunction with a gas or biomass combined heat and power (CHP) unit.
It is anticipated the project will provide reduced heating bills for residents by up to 35% and lead to CO² emissions being reduced by 25% (or 185 tonnes CO² per year for the site). In addition, it will be instrumental in increasing the standard of new homes from Code for Sustainable Homes level 3 to level 4.
This pilot project is also set to lead the way for the whole WEHM redevelopment, of some 3,300 new homes, to be powered by a larger CHP system.
Regional Director for the HCA, Paul Spooner, said: “This project will help to reduce heating costs for local people and create a more sustainable development. This is an important part of the HCA’s commitment to the regeneration of North Coventry.”
Councillor Kevin Foster, Deputy Leader of Coventry City Council said, "This funding is good news for Coventry and means we can now explore and develop innovative solutions and new technologies that will help to reduce the causes and effects of climate change. It also means that local people will feel the benefits directly - with reduced fuel bills.
"We are committed to tackling climate change and this award is an important step in enabling us to develop sustainable communities as we strive to reduce carbon emissions."
Housing Minister John Healey said: “Homes account for a quarter of carbon emission so reducing this is a major part of our efforts to tackle climate change. By making all new homes zero carbon from 2016 we are already leading the way to a much greener housing stock, and lower energy bills for residents. But we also have to make existing homes greener, and this funding will help both new and existing developments to access clean energy sources.”
Energy and Climate Change Minister Lord Hunt said: “This latest round of funding will make it possible for thousands more people to keep warm in their homes whilst reducing energy bills and carbon emissions. Community heating schemes are an excellent example of how we can work together to tackle climate change.”
The WEHM regeneration project is being delivered through close partnership working between the HCA; Coventry City Council; registered social landlord Whitefriars Housing Group; the developer consortium of Bovis, Keepmoat and Westbury Partnerships (BKW); and Advantage West Midlands. It also builds on the success of the New Deal for Communities (NDC) programme, which has invested in improvements in education, health and transport as well as initiatives to reduce crime and worklessness.
The first phase of homes at North Coventry are due to be started on site by spring 2010. In total the project will see some 3,300 new homes built over the next 12-15 years, transforming the physical and social landscape and creating a new mixed-income community.
News Release
25 August 2009
Employment prospects may look grim across the UK but there are four neighbourhoods in Coventry where employment support is better than ever.
Coventry New Deal for Communities, a £54m regeneration initiative for the people of Wood End, Henley Green, Manor Farm and Deedmore, funds The Workshop in Bell Green to primarily support NDC residents into work, but also works to support communities in the wider north east area of Coventry.
Since January the centre, run by Pertemps People Development Group, has helped 123 people back into work and 84 people into training – impressive considering the current economic climate. In the 08/ 09 financial year around 400 local people were engaged at the Workshop and 213 entered work as a result - over a 50% job entry rate.
In the midst of the recession with an increasing number of skilled jobseekers entering the labour market, competition for vacancies is high. NDC recognises this change and is proactively working towards a neighbourhood approach to employment to support the issues and barriers local residents face.
NDC and Pertemps have teamed up to provide tailored post-employment support and additional services from other providers in order to offer a more holistic approach to employment. One example is the Coachright programme which helped Jerome Murdock back into work.
"The Coachright programme was different because we engaged people using sport as a hook, whilst offering a programme of training to challenge and breakdown the barriers to employment, with a job interview guarantee. We helped participants build their confidence and gain work experience before that 'all important' job interview," explains Lucy McGovern, NDC Lead for Employment.
To date, NDC has run two programmes of the Coachright employment support (one in partnership with Deprived Area Funding) and both have had high retention and job entry rates to local vacancies. Further Coachright courses are also planned.
"The impact on the local community has been really positive. Residents have become empowered to break the cycle of unemployment. People can see other local residents who've been successful in gaining employment which then motivates them to take up support," said Lucy.
Local residents who want to find more about the services on offer at The Workshop can visit the centre at Riley Square or call 02476 583 860 for further information.
More than 100 residents living in north-east Coventry came along to a Can I Health You? event held by Wood End Residents Action Group (WERAG) and Coventry New Deal for Communities (NDC).
The one-day event held at Wood End community centre invited residents to experience the health benefits of holistic treatments like shiatsu massage, reflexology and reiki whilst encouraging them to make healthier life choices through diet and exercise.
Local health services like Age Concern, NHS Coventry, One Body One Life and Coventry Carers set up stalls to inform local residents about the services available in their area to improve their daily lives whilst children enjoyed face painting, balloon modelling and a bouncy castle.
Ray Maher, Chair of WERAG said: "The event was very successful in educating and informing local residents about how they could improve their health through accessing local services.
"We wanted to hold the event as we had seen similar events happen across the city but this was the first time we had one in Wood End."
Etain McDermott, NDC Public Health Practitioner, worked with WERAG to organise and host the event with the help of the Public Health Nutrition Team and Neighbourhood Management.
"We had lots of really positive feedback about the event from residents and the health professionals who attended, we hope the event has enabled local people to be more aware of the vast range of health services available in this area." said Etain.
For more information about health services in the NDC area please contact Etain McDermott 024 7662 2964 or visit the NDC office at Moat House Leisure and Neighbourhood Centre.
Media release issued (07.09.09)
Residents living on the Manor Farm estate in North-East Coventry invited neighbours and friends to a Fun Day to give their thoughts on plans for their new playground after securing external funding earlier this year.
Manor Farm Residents Association held a Family Fun Day on the 26th August to showcase plans for the new play area after successfully applying for £45,000 Play Builder funding with match funding from Coventry New Deal for Communities and project management support from Coventry City Council.
Landscape architects Barry Chinn Associates created the initial design which incorporates local children's ideas – including elements of a local legend – which was on display on the Fun Day for feedback and comments.
Mandy Pearce, member of Manor Farm Residents Association, said: "The design was inspired by the story of the pirate's grave at Mary Magdalene Church. Legend had it that if you ran around the grave three times the pirate would come out!
"We have been working closely with all partners involved and are really pleased with the design which uses the natural environment as part of the play experience and look forward to seeing what the community thinks.