Inspiring Communities

Young people from fifteen disadvantaged neighbourhoods have started working on local community projects designed to help them raise their ambitions, broaden their horizons, and unlock their talents, Local Government Minister Rosie Winterton announced today.

The projects are part of a £10million Government programme set up to raise the aspirations of 11-14 year olds and their parents across England.

All the Inspiring Communities projects are being led by local communities - schools, colleges, businesses, and third sector - who working together support and help youngsters on the road to success by giving them work and educational experiences. In Barrow the Central and Hindpool project activities aim to:

- increase opportunities for young people’s participation in sport and arts activities

- provide coaching and mentoring training for adults working with young people

- increase opportunities for parents and young people to influence services in the area

- provide away day activities such as trips and outward bound experiences

- develop the existing Junior Warden scheme and improve opportunities for taking part in environmental activity and much more

For more information please visit Central and Hindpool Neighbourhood Managements blog page here.

Green Up

The Community Development Foundation (CDF) has launched “Green Up! Five ways of working with your council on sustainability: a practical guide for community and voluntary groups.” Here is some information from CDF about what you can expect from the guide:

Green Up! is a key resource for community groups who want to work with their council on issues such as sustainability, climate change and the environment, but don’t know where to start. It can also be used for more advanced groups who want to have a clearer idea of what their council is meant to do in terms of sustainability.

It sets out what frameworks councils are currently using, such as Local Area Agreements and Sustainable Community Strategies, and how local groups can link to those, and most importantly, get their own work supported in a financial and non-financial way. The guide also explains all the words and vocabulary commonly used by councils, so local groups can clearly understand ‘council speak’.

Green Up! contains several hands-on examples from groups such as local Transition Towns, civic societies and faith groups. It also has tips from community group members who are successfully working with their council on issues relating to sustainability, climate change, the environment and energy.

Please use this link to find out more and download a free copy of the document from the CDF website.

Green Deart Den Footprint

Probably the result of the way in which ice and snow is melting.......or maybe we have identified that we have a "beast of" the Green Heart Den.

B&Q Garden Bulb Donation

Pictured below are: Martin Roberts from  B & Q providing Project Coordinator Graham Bromley with thousands of garden bulbs very kindly donated by B & Q.

B & Q have donated the various varieties of garden bulbs and would like them to be used for the benefit of the local community. Some we will use on the Green Heart Den and others we will be distributing, for example to, local schools, community groups, similar local projects and residents.

Among the varieties donated include; tulip, crocus, iris, hyacinth, anemone, allium and blue bell.

If you would like more information and/or would like to arrange to collect any of the FREE garen bulbs (not for resale) please contact Project Coordinator Graham Bromley on: 07919 991 989.

Huge thank you to Martin and all at B&G for their very generous donation it was greatly appreciated.

Thank you also to Recycling Officer Peter Buckley who kindly helped to collect and deliver the bulbs to the Green Heart Den.

Winter On The Green Heart Den

Some Of Our Icicles

Feeding Our Wildlife in Winter

The Green Heart Den has spent a most enjoyable but cold afternoon providing food for our local bird population while conducting routine maintenance. We hope our feathered visitors enjoy the meal worms and high protein mixed seeds they were provided with.

If you would like information and advice about feeding birds and other wildlife during the winter months please visit the RSPB website here.

Furness College Seating Design Visit

Furness College tutor Mike Walsh and art and design students form the college visiting the Green Heart Den along with Julia Geere, Enterprise Learning Advisor at Barrow Excellence Cluster Partnership. Their return visit forms part of their work on the ‘Involving Schools and Colleges in Barrow's Regeneration" programme, which is funded by West Lakes Renaissance.
During the visit the students had the opportunity to discuss the project with Project Coordinator Graham Bromley who also presented the students with a brief to develop options for seating designs. Once agreed the final design will ultimately be fabricated locally and installed on the Green Heart Den. Funding for this work is to be provided by the grant we received from Our Green Space, a Cumbria-wide three-year partnership project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s 'Your Heritage' grant scheme.

Happy New year

The Green Heart Den would like to wish you all of our friends, neighbours, partners and funders a very successful and prosperous New Year. We are looking forward to working in partnership with you all again throughout 2010.