Update No 21- Lowestoft Rising Sponsoring Group

“Lowestoft Rising Update”

Date 26th January 2017

This is the twenty first of the regular update reports the Support Group will provide to the Sponsoring Group. It will be a bullet point update under the agreed work stream heading for ease of reading. The updates will then be saved on our Website and use to update the Action Plan. We are happy to take feedback on the format so that we can provide the most suitable updates to you.

Our Pledge.

Lowestoft Rising remains committed to making Lowestoft a better place in which to grow up, live, work, visit and invest.

Aspiration and Pride are key to such success. Our focus therefore remains on raising the aspirations of everyone, and especially our young people, who we will help to reach their full potential.

Similarly we will continue to strive to generate a greater feeling of ‘Pride in Lowestoft’.

We will also continue to work in collaboration with our partners, integrating and improving services to make them more effective and accessible for the people of Lowestoft.

In particular though we will be increasing our emphasis on improving mental wellbeing for everyone, and providing greater support to prevent and address drug and alcohol dependency.

1. Mental Well-Being Services

 Communities Embracing Mental Health, led by Feedback held its second meeting and published its first magazine “Shedding the Light on mental Health” at a forum on 3rd November. The ideas from the first workshop have now been worked up and are being taken forward. We need to ensure close links with any Dementia Action Alliance work as the two have great synergy. Shop signs and stickers on order.

 DCLG Funding, Lowestoft successful in a bid to DCLG to help fund 2x MEAM worker and a mental health support worker to help our Interventions work with those most affected by Drug/Alcohol/Mental Health issues in the Town. £266,000 over a 2.25 year period secured through partnership approach.

 Lowestoft Journal, leading media campaign around “not suffering in silence “around mental health problems. Articles on Seasonal affective Disorder and Bereavement through Suicide support. 2. Aspiration and Potential - In support of Raising the Bar.

 Pakefield High School, Official opening of the new phase 3 building work sees additional 12 classrooms and teaching space in main building plus a wonderful new sports hall and outdoor courts facility.

 Crucial Crew 2016, 35 schools across Waveney take part in the annual event to teach children in year 6 (10/11 years) a range of safety skills and awareness training. Organised by a range of partners led by WDC the annual event is in its 15 year.

 Ashley Special School awarded Ofsted outstanding rating once again, making it the 5th time in 6 years the school has been rated as outstanding.

 Year 10 Employability and Progression Day, now fixed for 30th June 2017 with all 4 High Schools pledging to send every Year 10 student to a full day of workshops held at 6th Form and FE College with every workshop supported by relevant local employers and a relevant Tutor/Lecturer. Funding in place through Lowestoft Rising/WDC/ESP support.

 Riverside Hosts, WDC led a careers event at Riverside to allow 6th Form students to get a better understanding of the career opportunities in local government by hosting a group of students for the day at their flagship Riverside complex.

 Cultural Education Partnership for Lowestoft secures £25,000 funding from Arts Council to commission local providers to deliver a range of offers into local schools. Wolsey Theatre Ipswich will bring their Alfie Strange Time machine Production to 900 Year 3 Students across Lowestoft. “Soundaround” a National Arts Council Project led by Orchestra’s Alive and supported by the RPO and Marina Theatre will bring a range of music led activities to schools in Lowestoft during 2018. The project is only being delivered in 6 locations Country wide with Lowestoft the only non-City location to benefit in the 2 year fully funded project. Lowestoft Folk, The story of The Grit ( Lowestoft Fishing Village story) and Watertight words also commissioned to deliver for Lowestoft schools

 5 More Apprentices start work with Ivy House Farm, a high quality Hotel in the Town, a part of the continual growth of opportunities for Young people continue. Ranging from Front of House to Chef Roles the new apprentices are all local young people.

 New SEND Free School, Catch 22 now confirmed as Academy Sponsor for the 50 place SEND Free School at Carlton Colville which will cater for Years 5 to 11 students with additional needs. The school is to open in Sept 2017 on the site of the old Primary School site, vacated during the re-organisation of schools.

 Ormiston Denes High School, secured £9,600 of Big Lottery money to have additional health and fitness outdoor equipment installed at school, for both students and Community to use.

3. Redesign of Drug, Alcohol Services and to ensure better outcomes.

 Access Community Trust and Foodbank Soup Kitchen, serves 350 serving in first 8 sessions showing the demand in those in need. This includes both rough sleepers and those with temporary accommodation issues in the Town.

 Sea Breeze Club, losing its licence to trade following “catastrophic failure of management”. Police called for the license to be revoked following serious assault in premises which management did not deal with well leading to further problems.  Supported Housing Contract, SCC’s contract to provide single adult has been award too Genesis Housing. Access Community Trust who currently provides the Fyffe centre service may longer provide that service from April 2017. Work underway to try to retain Fyffe Centre facilities.

 Universal Credit, a number of problems occurring with the payment of the new UC which is causing the most vulnerable in area to become at risk of homelessness as landlords not receiving rent money in timely fashion.

 Salvation Army and Access Community Trust, both run Christmas lunch events for those most in need over the period. Sam’s café opened to put on a meal for young people on Xmas Day, whilst the Salv Army hosted 100 people in a special pre-Christmas lunch event at the Town’s North Citadel site.

4. Integration and Collaboration Projects included the Lowestoft Collaboration Academy Projects

 Lowestoft Rising with Museums, a new project officer Tayrn Dennis starts in post to help the 3 Lowestoft Museums encourage new volunteers to join and deliver new and exciting projects linking with schools and colleges.

 Marina Theatre, launch a 50 plus Theatre Group to engage those over 50 years to be more involved in Theatre productions and provide opportunities to avoid isolation. Called “Next Stagers” this over 50 Groups is another development to add the already formed Youth Theatre Group as Marina transforms if offer to the Community. Both groups regularly at the Theatre in the Town.

 East Coast Community Healthcare ECCH, move into their new Lowestoft based headquarters and Hamilton House. The move from the Beccles site will bring a number of staff and activities under one roof in Lowestoft and make use of a previously redundant building close to Town, helping to replace footfall lost by the move to Riverside of Town centre WDC/SCC staff.

 Lowestoft FE College. Students from carpentry and joinery course help to restore the Oulton Village historic village sign to former glory. Some 25 students have taken part in the project including Art students who will do the final detail work on the restored sign.

 Supported Volunteer Co-Ordination- Access and Lowestoft Rising successful in its bid to Big Lottery for funding to deliver a 2 year supported volunteering scheme, reaching those most in need of volunteering opportunities. The scheme will target those under 24 and those over 24 in 2 separate schemes to support and train them to be able to volunteer for local Community groups and gain invaluable work experience as they do so. Co-ordinator now selected for post and will start work in February to develop the scheme in conjunction with CAS’s new Volunteer Suffolk platform.

5. Pride in Lowestoft-( Building on what makes Lowestoft Great)

 Lowestoft Temporary Flood barriers, official launch and demonstration of how the 1400 meters of barrier will help protect parts of the Town from flooding took place in November.

 New Iceland Store Opens, creating 19 new jobs on the North Quay Retail Park under its “ The Food Warehouse” banner  Lowestoft Library hits headlines, for creating its Christmas tree out of books laid out in a cylinder construction to resemble a tree and then decorated. Gone viral on Facebook.

 Xmas Day Swim, another large turnout for the annual swim, led by Sentinel Leisure, raising money for local charities that benefit from the fund raising event.

 Flood defences deployed for real, Friday 13th January saw the first potential spring tide surge since 2013 devastating floods. The new flood defences were deployed across the Town but fortunately a late change in wind direction saved the Town from flooding. Great to see the defences deployed and the learning of past floods put in to practice by a great multi-agency approach.

 Lowestoft Town Council, consultation complete and WDC approve creating on a Town Council for Lowestoft from April 2017. Transfer of assets the big talking point around the formation of the New Council. Oulton Broad to get its own Parish/Town Council at same time.

 Andrew Papworth, Local editor of Lowestoft Journal writes extensive piece of being Proud of our Coastal Town as he prepares to leave Town role for a wider role with Argent. Singles out the work of Lowestoft Rising as an exemplar of good partnership working.

 Lowestoft Third Crossing, ground testing work starts near Riverside as the work to start the detailed planning of the 3rd Crossing gathers pace. Positive media to promote the 3rd Crossing will happen and will be open by 2022/23.

 Coastal Community Team Bid, to CCF for £980,000 to redevelop the Ness Point area into a vibrant East of England Park has reached final round of funding process. If successful it will allow the Town to develop its tourism offer as the most Easterly point.

 Top Young Sailors Event for Lowestoft, the Royal Suffolk and Norfolk Yacht Club will host 180 of the UK’s best young sailors for a 2 day competition in July 2017 bringing large numbers of visitors to the Town.