The newsletter for the people of Marsh Farm

Spring 2014 Futures Cafe & Futures Fun Factory Re-Open For Business Marsh Farm Futures Opening times will be from environment for children to run took another step 10.00am to around 4.00pm. around and enjoy. Birthday towards fulfilling its The cafe aims to provide parties and group bookings catering needs of local residents, can be arranged at very commitment to local businesses within the building competitive rates. There is an provision. Futures Fun and Fun Factory customers. additional designated sensory Factory & Futures Cafe area dedicated for children with based within Futures Futures Fun Factory also re- special needs. It’s definitely worth House re-opened on opened on the same day as the a visit. 1st February after Cafe after refurbishment. It’s a www.futuresfunfactory.co.uk short spell of closure. fun place for young children from the age of 0 to 14. This is a much The Cafe will be serving breakfast, loved place by young families lunch, hot and cold meals, teas and is open 7 days a week. and coffees throughout the day. The facility offers safe and secure

Futures Cafe Customers Enjoying a Brunch Fun Factory Staff waiting to Welcome you www.marshfarmfutures.co.uk A word from MFF Chief Executive Futures Business Voice launched Cafe and the Futures Fun Factory services in the near future, so Over 40 diverse businesses from Active and both of hope some of you can join us. attended the launch of Futures these ventures are now being Business Voice event held on run in-house by Marsh Farm Finally work is getting underway Wednesday 4th December. Futures. If you have not tried for the central area redevelopment “The event was a resounding the menu at Futures Cafe then I and we are looking forward success” said Richard Cooper would personally recommend it, to the improvement in the Chairman of the newly formed especially the cooked breakfast, infrastructureSummer and housing 2013 in group. Futures Business it’s delicious. this part of Marsh Farm. We Voice is set up as part of hope you find information in Marsh Farm Futures (MFF) As 2014 gets underway we are The Fun Factory is also well worth this newsletter helpful and look initiatives to work closely with working hard to increase lettings a visit if you have young children forward to working with many of the Business Sector. in the building and continue the as it’s had some new equipment you on these and other important provision of free services for the for the very young and a full initiatives in the year ahead. Ishaq Kazi, Programme local residents and the community redecoration of the space at the Manager for MFF and the main at large. We have also now end of January. We are looking M.Rafi organiser of the event said “it’s taken the reins of the Futures to formally launch both of these Marsh Farm Futures CEO the businesses that create jobs and run the economy and it In picture above Richard Cooper on the right, Chair of Futures Business Voice, is therefore crucial to support Laura Church, Head of Business and Consumer Services and Mal Hussain MFF Partner Services at Futures House from Economic Development team and other business participants below. local businesses. Service Type of Service Time/ Day of the week How to access Provider the service The key purpose of the Futures Business Voice is to inspire CAB FREE legal advice 9.30am – 12.30pm By appointment only entrepreneurship, identify the Citizens Advice provided by CAB Call MFF team on Bureau Tel: 01582 512555 business needs and solutions to support business growth Well Springs & Job Club - job search, Every Tuesday Call into Futures and sustainability”. Job Centre Plus applications, CV’s and 9.30am – 11.30am all ages House front desk. training opportunities. 12.00pm – 2.00pm Futures Business Voice is 2.00pm – 5.00pm all ages Enterprise Club Business Networking, Last Wednesday of the month To book a place sponsored and supported by MFF & WENTA business advice and 9.30am – 11.00am Call WENTA on a number of organisations by contacting Ishaq Kazi on including Luton Borough Local businesses including support to those Tel: 01582 433700 social businesses can apply to 015821 512555 or e-mail: running/starting own Council’s Economic join Futures Business Voice ishaq@marshfarmfutures. business Development Team, NatWest co.uk. Job Centre Plus Employment support, 9.00am – 4.00pm Call into Futures Bank, Quality Solicitors FREE TO JOIN benefit advice, job Mon, Tue, Thu, Friday House front desk Alexanders and business searching Wed 12.00 – 4.00pm and contact JCP on support agency WENTA. Daily drop-in service ext. 115 GRANTS FOR GROWTH BROOK FREE CONFIDENTIAL 3.00pm - 6.00pm Call into Futures Sexual Health advice, information, Every Thursday House front desk Mohammed Rafi, MFF CEO Grants4Growth provides finance for • Invest in technology or processes that Advice (Free support, and contact Brook commented, “The feedback growth, helping businesses invest in facilitate growth, improve resilience or new technologies and equipment, create/safeguard jobs advice to under Contraception, pregnancy received from delegates has creating and safeguarding jobs, • Put in place efficiency initiatives in 25’s) tests been very encouraging and improving their efficiency andthe form of waste, water or energy LBC Council tax, Housing 8.30am to 5.30pm Call into Futures positive to set up the Business reducing their carbon footprint. efficiency, recovery or reduction Customer Benefit, Advice on Council Monday - Friday House front desk. Voice. We have already Grants4Growth is being •Invest in technology and processes Services services etc. managed by the South East Midlands to reduce the environmental impact of secured membership interest Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP), operations. Luton Cultural Community Support, Room Monday – Friday For more from those present as well as with Business Broker James Stancombe Services Trust Hire day & evenings information please Find out more by talking to those who were not able to co-ordinating the local programme. Business Broker James Stancombe to community/self help contact CDS Team on 01234 436100, 07920 246813 groups, partners on Tel: 548360 attend. We are very pleased Grants4Growth is a free grants or via email [email protected]. Councillors Surgeries for residents to 10.00am –12.00am Call into Futures to have had a fabulous programme for small and medium For more details about SEMLEP st rd sized businesses; it includes both visitBusiness www.semlep.com news from Roy Davis raise their issues with 1 & 3 Saturday of each House front desk on response”. capital and revenue grants. Capital Don Worlding elected members month surgery day. grants are available for business wanting to:

GRANTS FOR GROWTH Marsh Farm Futures will soon be recruiting - Front Desk Staff - Administion Officer Grants4Growth provides finance for growth, helping businesses invest in new technologies and Application Pack & Further information will be available on our Website www.marshfarmfutures.co.uk. equipment, creating and safeguarding jobs, improving their efficiency and reducing their carbon www.marshfarmfutures.co.ukfootprint. Grants4Growth Bedfordshire is being managed by the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP), with Business Broker James Stancombe co-ordinating the local programme. 2 3 Grants4Growth is a free grants programme for small and medium sized businesses; it includes both capital and revenue grants. Capital grants are available for business wanting to: • Invest in technology or processes that facilitate growth, improve resilience or create/safeguard jobs • Put in place efficiency initiatives in the form of waste, water or energy efficiency, recovery or reduction • Invest in technology and processes to reduce the environmental impact of operations.

Find out more by talking to Business Broker James Stancombe on 01234 436100, 07920 246813 or via email [email protected]. For more details about SEMLEP visit www.semlep.com

Futures Young Voice Need Free Advice?

Marsh Farm Futures has now Involvement Manager. coincide with the Cllr Surgeries, Luton Citizens Advice Bureau yourself. Or it may be by making are back at Futures House, after a you an appointment to discuss your set up Futures Young Voice for so that they can feed straight into query further – either in person or by Area North, this will help not Futures Young Voice met in the local Councillors or ask for short break. phone. just to address issues/concerns January and formally agreed advise should the need arise. Need free advice? of young people but through terms of reference and adopted CAB will be holding weekly outreach Our team of skilled advisers offers Everything from benefits, debt, housing, employment, etc. practical support and assistance on talking with them, they will be Equalities statement. Futures For further infomation and to get sessions at Futures House Every Outreach Surgery Confidential session by APPOINTMENT a wide range of problems including: Every Monday 9.30am - 12.30pm able to advise us what projects Young Voice will now lead on involved call Cathey McShane - Monday 9.30 am to 12.30 Starts Monday 10th March

are needed in the area. various programmes for young Futures House - 01582 548 360 pm. • Debt At Mar sh Farm Futures, Futures House

people with the support of MFF • Welfare benefits The Moakes, Luton , LU3 3QB Around 15 young people and various other partners/ The service is free, confidential, • Employment Tel: 01582 512555 impartial, independent and for • Housing are now part of the group. “I agencies, these will include everyone in the community. • Relationship breakdown have worked with them and workshops, around Drug & • Immigration supported them in submitting an Alcohol, Gangs & Knives, A fully trained outreach worker will To book an appointment, application for funding to the Motivation and Self Confidence, assess your problem and identify the please contact service you need and the best way Marsh Farm Futures Your Say Your Way event and Employment and Training, as well for us to help you. This could be by on 01582 512555. This service is provided under the they have been successful.” Said as social drop in sessions and a giving you the right information to Luton Advice Network Transition Cathey McShane, Community Youth Surgery once a month to enable you to solve your problem Project and funded by the Big Lottery.

Food is donated by the people of Luton at Joan Cartledge, Vice Chair and Ann our food drives, from regular collections Orr Volunteer - 2 of our volunteers For North Luton the transfer • Monitoring of community at supermarkets, schools, faith groups, running The Food Bank. applies to Futures Community development projects across community centres, businesses and Halls. The Council staff individuals. to Contact Foodbank call Luton and management of the 07796 603 760 who haven’t transferred are Community Involvement Theme The Foodbank operates via referrals; concentrating on managing the for Luton Airports people who need assistance are given relationship with Luton Culture Limited’s Community Funding a voucher by one of Luton Foodbank’s and leading on the following Did you know 1 in 8 of the poorest approved referral agencies. These On the 1st October 2014 the programme. children in Luton go without at least one include Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Luton Council-run Community Centres key programmes and priorities. hot meal a day? Many families in Luton Rights, Luton Law Centre, and Children’s • ‘Your Say, Your Way’ i.e. have to choose between heating their Centres. Referral agencies can support staff and operations transferred Within the centre it is business as homes and feeding themselves and their clients in the long term by providing over to Luton Cultural Services Neighbourhood Governance usual, with signage, invoicing family; it’s a struggle at best. Research advice, guidance and support to resolve Trust. This exciting change in Luton and other procedures changing shows that 1 in every 5 mums is cutting the problem clients may face. is the start of a new chapter • The Council’s volunteer back on meals themselves so that they Clients can then bring the voucher to one over to Luton Culture, to give a can feed their children. of the Foodbank distribution centres. of partnership working for Programmes unified look and full integration communities and community • Delivery of on-the-ground into the new organisation. The Luton Foodbank can provide Luton Foodbank runs a development in Luton. emergency short-term nutritionally distribution point at Futures community cohesion solutions balanced non-perishable food to people House every Monday from in need who have nowhere else to turn. 10.00am to 12.00pm – but Community Organisers pay a visit to Marsh Farm Futures Since launching, the Luton Foodbank please make sure you come has distributed more than 3000 food with a voucher as these cannot Marsh Farm Futures recently The visit was a key element to meet Community Organisers parcels, a third of which were child be issued at the distribution hosted a visit from Community to organisations who work and exchange some thoughts parcels. point. Organisers. As part of ‘closely with their community and ideas on how to engage Community Organisers training to provide hands on approach and serve the local community; I Enhance Your Business programme within Locality, to making an effective, positive am very pleased we hosted this A programme of free seminars, • Introduction to Entrepreneurship Community Organisers undergo change’. The visit focused on visit and I want thank Locality workshops and networking and Business start-up. Is it for the option ‘Go Deeper’, listen to learning about Marsh Farm for arranging this”. opportunities, supported by Nat you? residents in their homes, on the Future’s work, a tour of Futures West Bank, WENTA, Quality • Funding your business – what street and where they gather, House and a lengthy discussion Solicitors Alexanders and Luton are the options? and they listen to public service on community and youth issues. Borough Council delivered • Business Planning – is it and third sector workers, small Some of the attendees travelled Women Enterprise Day between October and December necessary? businesses and local institutions from Bristol, Newcastle, 2013. The programme organised • Marketing using Social Media- to help develop their collective Wiltshire and London. by Marsh Farm Futures was Can I really make use of it? well received and attended. The • Women into Enterprise/Self- power to act together for the workshops included: employment common good, as identified Mohammed Rafi, Marsh Farm locally. Futures CEO commented “this Look out for our new Buisiness Focused Training Programme 2014 was an excellent opportunity Community Organisers Workshop Participants Marsh Farm Futures will soon be recruiting - Front Desk Staff - Administion Officer www.marshfarmfutures.co.uk Application Pack & Further information will be available on our Website www.marshfarmfutures.co.uk. 4 5 Central Area Redevelopment Local Entrepreneur

Planning permission for What will happen next? The works will involve: A Young Marsh Farm law graduate to get a greater understanding of the and become experts at communication In preparation for release of 1) The removal of the triangular ditched the idea of a safe job in the concept. People rarely understand how and no longer fear what they do not the redevelopment of the law profession and started up is own valuable people are to their individual understand.” central area was secured contracts for the building works grass island at the roundabout in business. journey in life and I want people to various surveys will be taking place Northwell Drive near to the sports understand how supportive establishing, Richard Gore is in October following over the next few weeks and these hall. The Business Social Network was created developing and honing their own working hard to much hard work by will inform final design works. The by Richard Gore, 22, who lives in Marsh personal network can be. make sure the the Steering Group and steering group will be involved 2) Adjustments to the kerbline and Farm. Richard Gore is a former Lea Business Social Manor student and recent Law graduate I personally created this network to Network is known Council officers. in the selection of the contractors pavements to the front of the school for the construction work and we at the roundabout to give the new and attended Enterprise Club at Marsh change the way the majority of people nationally and road width and works for the new Farm Futures, facilitated by WENTA. viewed networking. I no longer want strives to establish Since then the detailed work to have agreed to include training for “networking” to be viewed as this other business residents and use of local labour zebra crossing that will link the “My decision to establish this network taboo word that people tell you to do ideas in the future. move these outline plans into a clear school with the redeveloped area. program for action has carried on where possible as a pre requisite was to take away the terrifying stigma that is never done because of excuses for the developer. attached to networking and to encourage and fear of interaction. I want people For more information contact : in the background. This requires a 3) Adjustments to the kerbline and people who need networking the most to understand, not dread the concept [email protected] large amount of architectural and The Council has also allocated a footway alongside the Futures House technical design and surveying car park. works and the team at the Town Senior Project Manager Abu Nasir Futures Job Club Hall has been enlarged to enable ([email protected]) to oversee the development and are also in the 4) Removal of the traffic island at this to happen. The first stage of The Moakes junction with Northwell A community organisation is set The Job Club will run weekly work for a long period of time.” the new development will involve process of recruiting the project to run free clubs to help people community sessions that combines team. Alan Thompson, project lead, Drive and temporarily surfaced. the realignment of Northwell Drive in Marsh Farm Luton get back one-to-one consultations, group For more information contact [email protected]. and the creation of a new access 5) Alterations to the road levels into work. Staff of Well Springs support and an optional practical Anneth Bryan, for the proposed retail development uk Community Services (WSCS) are 8 week employability course that and the installation of the new [email protected] which will be located on the cleared mini-roundabout facility where the working in partnership with Marsh covers topics such as identifying Purway Close site. This work triangular island was removed in Farm Futures (MFF) and Job Centre strengths, CV writing and interview Telephone : commenced with alterations outside Northwell Drive. Plus. The aim is to help the local techniques as well as CAP money 01582 968 245 /07442 498 989 Lea Manor School in February community to find employment in coaching course for adults and 2014. tough economic times. They are now young people designed to help 6) Installation of road lining for the offering free weekly drop ins and people budget, save and spend new road layout in Northwell Drive workshops to boost the job-hunting using a simple cash base system. and the temporary arrangement in process for unemployed people by The Moakes. equipping them with the tools, skills Job Club Manager Anneth and confidence on their journey to Bryan, who will be leading the 7) Switch traffic to the new layout, finding work through Futures Job workshops, said: “With more people i.e. two way traffic using the North Club. East side of the original roundabout facing long-term unemployment, and traffic to and from the Moakes The Job Club will offer different there is a real need for a personal utilising the new mini roundabout sessions every Tuesday: service which provides practical junction with Northwell Drive. and emotional support for people All ages to find work again. The Job Club 8) Complete the kerbing work to the 9.30am – 11.30am at Futures House is designed to do West side of Northwell Drive at the just this.” She added: “We hope roundabout near to the Redgrave 18 – 24yrs that we can help people to gain the 12.00pm – 2.00pm Gardens junction. confidence and skills they need to All ages find employment, particularly for 9) Once the 1st phase of the Marsh those who may have been out of Farm Central Area Redevelopment 2.00pm– 5.00pm is complete The Moakes will be stopped up to traffic and the mini Annual Christmas Dinner – another resounding success. Futures Community roundabout will serve the Futures House building and car parking for Marsh Farm Events Committee Garden – “Green the new retail units. delivered the annual Christmas Fingers” needed A sketch of different type of housing planned. dinner for 50+ residents. The event 10) Introduction of traffic calming supported by Marsh Farm Futures, Marsh Farm Futures has measures to 20 mph limits. Luton Culture, Marsh Farm Outreach, identified a small piece local schools and Heywood House, of land at Futures House In addition the Council has engaged put on a fantastic event attended by to be used for growing specialist retail advisors to work with over 150 guests. Dave Crean MBE, vegetables for Luton commented “this was a wonderful Foodbank. We want to the shopkeepers to look at what the collective achievement”. I want new shopping parade should contain to thank all the guests, volunteers involve local residents, to and how these new units should be and organisations that contributed. help grow and distribute let. Meetings have been taking place I also want to acknowledge kind food to those who most with all retailers over the past few donations from Bedfordshire and need it. Can you help? SEE weeks. Luton Community Foundation and BACK PAGE... Marsh Farm Futures”.

Marsh Farm Futures will soon be recruiting - Front Desk Staff - Administion Officer Application Pack & Further information will be available on our Website www.marshfarmfutures.co.uk. www.marshfarmfutures.co.uk 6 7 Children come in to the care system for many different Spa ce i n reasons. Some just need a bed for a few nights while we e.. . help their parents through a crisis. Others are casualties you r h o m of family breakdown. Or victims of abuse and neglect. All desperately need stable, safe and loving homes. With people just like you Fost e r ca ri n g ca n be ch a lle n gi n g but it is imm e n se ly re wa rdi n g. And we are with you every step of the way with support, guidance and training.

We will also support you financially.

Visit our website or call us to find out more. BUY 1 GET 1 FREE ON ALL PIZZA No pressure. No obligation. FRESHLY GRILLED HEALTHY CHICKEN But we’d love to hear from you. It cou ld be t h e st a rt of so m et hi n g won de rfu l.

Roo m i n you r h ea rt? 01582 54 75 69 Opening hours: www.luton.gov.uk/fostering Help us find more foster carers Sunday to Thursday We want local people to think loving home to a child in need. about fostering and to provide In return we promise to be open 2pm till 11.00pm children in care with the stable and honest and respect your loving homes that they need. confidentiality throughout the The number of children coming process. into care continues to rise and You can visit our website www. Friday & Saturday we have increased the amount of luton.gov.uk/fostering or like us advertising extensively over the on facebook Fostering with Luton 2.00pm to 12.00 midnight past few months and have had Council or telephone 01582 a positive response with more 547569 for further information. people enquiring about fostering. FREE delivery 01582 562200 However, we still need to do more Kind regards and need your help. We want Fostering Order Online you to speak to people you know Services about fostering. It may not be the Jennifer Macmillan www.pizzacityluton.co.uk right time for you but someone Marketing Officer you know may be ready to offer a

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All views, offers or promotional / marketing statements are sole responsibility of the individual organisations businesses .Marsh Farm Futures does not accept any liability for article or third party claims made in the newsletter. email - [email protected] DESIGN | PRINT WEBSITE ACTIVE MARKETING • WWW.TBAGPRODUCTIONS.COM