Chesham and Chiltern Villages
Local Area Priorities
2012—2013 Review
The Chesham and Chiltern Villages Local Area Forum includes the parishes of: Ashley Green, Chartridge, Cholesbury-cum-St Leonards, Latimer, the Lee and and Chesham Town Council
During 2012/13, the Chesham and Chiltern Villages Local Area Forum provided funding to a number of projects to address the priorities of the local area. Some of these are set out in the following pages.
The projects were undertaken using the LAF’s Local Priorities budget from Buckinghamshire County Council.
Local Area Forums
The Chesham and Chiltern Villages Local Area What is a Local Area Forum? Forum (LAF) has a devolved budget from the County Council (£54,584 in 2012/2013), which it To help planning and service delivery at a can use to support its action plan. local level, Buckinghamshire has been divided into 19 local areas. The role of the For example, in 2012/13 the Local Area Forum Forum is to agree priorities and used its budget to fund: delegate resources effectively within the local Blue Light course for young people, with area. Bucks Fire and Rescue The Chesham and Chiltern Villages Local Citizens Advice Bureau outreach work Area Forum has identified priorities for the A Movers and Shakers project for Asian men area and what steps can be taken, by the targeting older people. Local Area Forum or others, to address these priorities. The current All projects funded can be found on the final actionable priorities against which the page of this review. Local Area Forum’s budget can be allocated are:
Reduce Anti Social Behaviour through initiatives which involve young people in How does the Local Area sporting, recreational, performance or Forum develop it’s priorities? creative activities or programmes designed for 'crime diversion' In March 2010 the Local Area Forum held a Lo- Enhance a sense of community in a village cal Priorities workshop which included commu- or contribute to the sustainability of village nity representatives. On the 19th October 2011, life e.g. facilities in a village hall, keeping another workshop was held to refresh the prior- open a local shop or pub ities and to which young people were invited to Support the local economy and input their views. In November 2012, a Local employment by developing Chesham and Priorities sub-group of the Local Area Forum the Villages as a centre for Arts & Creative was formed to update and re-focus the priorities Industries, Conferences & Events, and determine which areas should be worked on Hospitality/Local Foods/Gastropubs from April 2013 onwards. Reduce the social isolation of the Asian Community in order to increase their capacity to improve the health and wellbeing of all members of their community Members of the Local Area Contribute towards the priorities Forum identified for the Chesham Community Wellbeing Project which aims to tackle The Chesham and Chiltern Villages Local deprivation and increase the wellbeing of Area Forum includes county councillors, the Chesham community district councillors and appointed Develop community transport schemes to representatives from each of the parishes. improve access to facilities and services for vulnerable or older age residents in rural Local Area Forums can also invite other areas organisations to attend and so the Chairman of Improve highways and road safety. CHAP (Chesham Action Partnership) is also a member. Project Reports
Blue Light Course
This Blue Light Course was part-funded and supported by the Chesham and Chiltern Villages Local Area Forum (£1,970) as part of the local area plan priorities concerning employment skills and
diversionary activities. The 30 hour Blue Light course was held at Chesham Fire Station during the February Half Term week. LAF Priorities:
The week was designed to give Diversionary activities for young people the experience of Young People and employabil- training with the emergency ser- ity skills. vices and to learn new skills which include team building and safety activities. The course is ac- credited and provides candidates with the opportunity to gain 3 ASDAN accredited points and a First Aid Certificate from St John Ambulance.
The joint initiative involved other agencies participating by providing their professional input and included Thames Valley Police, St John’s Ambulance and Addaction.
The youth crew are issued with a uniform to wear for the course and participate in activities includ- ing drill ground and fire engine familiarisation, hose running, and kit checks. Other activities include first aid, arson reduction/awareness, radio procedure, knots and lines, chip pan display and home safety checks.
Food Trail—Chesham Walkers are Welcome
Chesham Walkers Are Welcome have launched the brand new Chesham Food Trail to help people discover the local produce being created, used and sold in the town and surrounding villages. The leaflet features a town centre trail comprising some of the best loved shops and outlets, as well as some hidden gems! There are also details of suppliers beyond the town cen- tre and 3 trails featuring local producers in the surrounding villages, as well as information on local markets.
It is hoped that the leaflet will help boost the local economy and also to get local people and visitors out walking, both for health and to appreciate the beauty of the Chilterns. The trail leaflet is both in printed form and as a web download.
Chesham and Chiltern Villages LAF awarded Chesham Walkers are Welcome £500 to support printing and design.
3 Project Reports
CAB Community Outreach Project
Many vulnerable people, the elderly, the young, new parents and those with disabilities are not aware that they are able to seek help to improve their lives; or know how or where they could get help; or are too worried or fragile to make the first step.
This project supported by The Chalfonts, Chesham and Chiltern Villages and the Missendens LAFs has provided the Chiltern CAB with the opportunity to extend outreach services and offer access to CAB advice at different centres in the area which do not have a regular outreach ser- vice but where people who need them are not able to access them for a number of reasons.
In each area, as a result of the funding Chiltern CAB have been able to:
Deliver sessions with large groups of older people who are residents of Paradigm Housing offering:
LAF Priorities: Older people, Advice on how to stay warm in the winter How to save money on fuel bills Young people, Asian commu- How to save money on other utility bills nity, Employment, Communi- Information about Community Transport Schemes ty Wellbeing. Information about where to get help and advice Signposting to CAB service and other agencies
Deliver advice subsequent to these sessions at CAB offices and on site at Paradigm Housing locations. This has involved specialist caseworker advice. Meet with Health Professionals to reinforce the link between stress and health issues un- derpinned by our work in GP surgeries. Meet with neighbourhood police to provide signposting to CAB services. Provide additional capacity to meet the local demand generated.
Specifically, the following additional work has been carried out in the Chesham and Chiltern Villages area
6 sessions including Job Seekers group, Job Centre Plus, Probus 50 plus forum and Rotary Christmas Lunch Club Attended Chesham Health Fare to raise awareness of CAB services Sessions in Sainsbury foyer to raise awareness of CAB services Attended sessions at all Chesham Children’s Centres to work with young families, raising awareness of CAB service, offering direct assistance, providing food vouchers, providing budgeting advice , referring to caseworkers as needed.
4 Project Reports
Rafe’s Place Active Sessions
In May 2012 Rafe’s Place received a £1,970 award from the Chesham and Chiltern Villages LAF to run an ‘active LAF Priority: sessions’ pilot at Chesham Youth Centre over a 6 week Facilities and activities for period. Active sessions provide young people with access young people to activities that are of interest to them such as DJing, street dance and parkour.
These were tailored to the specific requirements of local young people, informed by a consulta- tion period. The main objective of this pilot was to test if using students to plan and run the ac- tive sessions would work. The purpose of this was to provide a sustainable solution to youth cen- tres whilst providing valuable work experience for students.
Student Recruitment and Training Students were recruited initially through Buckinghamshire New University’s Freshers’ Fair. One student was recruited as part of a ‘professional practice scheme’ for which the student needed to contribute 100 hours in order to pass a module on the ‘Events and Festival Management’ course. All volunteers were inter- viewed by members of the Rafe’s Place core team in order to check suitability for the project. Successful students attended ‘Introduction to youth work’ and ‘safeguard’ training and were subject to CRB checks, provided by Action4Youth. Each student attended training on a total of two evenings.
Programme Planning The event planning team worked with Rafe’s Place to schedule active sessions and organise resources. Students were provided with a template timetable, results from the consultation questionnaire and information about student volunteers and their skills. The events team contributed ideas to the plans, whilst Rafe’s Place managed the process
Active session implementation Active sessions were conducted over a 6 week period. Rafe’s Place core team members delivered any specialist equipment to the Youth Centre (e.g. mats for parkour or music equipment) prior to the sessions and drove student volunteers to and from Bucks New University to the Youth Centre. A member of Rafe’s Place or a professional was at all sessions supporting the student volunteers and helping to organise the young people. There was usually a Youth Leader present in addition to Rafe’s Place. Sessions lasted between 1 and 2 hours.
5 Project Reports
Building Community Capacity / Neighbourliness Project
The decisions people make about how they prepare for older age have a significant impact upon the quality of their lives and the effective use of their personal finance. Older people and their families are often ill prepared for the significant decisions which need to be made as a result of aging, prompting an earlier or unnecessary move into institutional care.
The Building Community Capacity project, which piloted in Chesham and has now been rolled out to surrounding areas including Cholesbury, is designed to enable and encourage residents aged over 50 to plan for their future and for local communities to become better equipped to support vulnerable older people living in their community.
The intended outcomes of the project are to
See older people living longer in their local areas with less dependence on social care support and increased support provided by informal local care networks. Improve health and independence in later life.
With an award of £8,200 from the Chesham and Chiltern Villages LAF, Chiltern District Council has been able to carry out the following activity:
Chesham
Building Community Capacity forum has met on a quarterly basis enabling both voluntary and statutory service providers to share best practice. Promotion of CDC Flexible Home Improvement Loan scheme, Community workshop 2012 to introduce service providers to older residents Monthly email newsletter giving up to date information on services, events, activities in Chesham, and an information fact sheet on a particular topic . Information further disseminated from newsletter to Parish newsletters, community websites etc. Promotion of Chiltern’s Community Grants scheme resulted in local groups securing £4.5k funding to improve local services to older people. Produced Life Check Tool Kit, in Quiz form, for use among groups. Golden Age Road Show to a group of agencies and existing groups using the Quiz and giving information.
Cholesbury cum St Leonards
Hilltop Villages Good Neighbours Group (GNG), grew its volunteer base to over 50. In May 2012, with support from Llew Monger of Community Impact Bucks and the Landlord of the Rose and Crown Hawridge, the Group launched a Pub Lunch Club. Those regularly attending have grown from 20 to 60 in its first year. Speakers from public services and voluntary organisations have attended members of the St Leonards Church Tea Party. The GNG's first AGM was held in November 2012. The priorities for the year ending 2013 were reconfirmed as tackling the causes of isolation, providing social transport, sourcing advice, and support for elderly residents, carers and volunteers In December 2012 an updated Public Services Directory was published and distributed to all households in the Parish In December 2012 the Extreme Weather Car Scheme was activated for its second year in December to assist those unable to make urgent journeys. In early 2013 the GNG and Chiltern Dial-A-Ride started discussions on the development a Parish-based Community Transport Project which, subject to funding, will be piloted in the second half of 2013.
6 Project Reports
Elmtree School—Sensory Garden
The Local Area Forum awarded £2000 to Elmtree School to support the completion works to their new Sensory Garden.
Elmtree School is situated in an area of social deprivation characterised by high unemployment and a large Asian community many of whom originate from the poorer, illiterate areas of Pakistan. The garden has been created to provide Elmtree’s pupils and the wider community, with an inspirational outside space that would stimulate the senses.
With this in mind the plants and other design elements were selected with intention of providing experiences for seeing, smelling, hearing, touching, and tasting.
The school and the community were very much in- LAF Priority: Community Well- volved with the development of the garden. The final being, Asian community, Younger design is an interpretation of the winning entries of 8 of people. the pupils in the school following a competition to draw or write their vision of the garden. Parents and neigh- bours also helped out with the organisation and the hard landscaping. The garden was opened in September 2012
The Elmtree School pupils are the primary users of the garden with 180 children in the main school and up to 100 in nursery. All of these children spend time in the Sensory Garden at playtimes, lunch and during the day for curriculum based activities. They enjoy a range of physical activities and are aware of the link with their health. It is beneficial for the children to be working in the garden, maintaining it, and carrying out other learning activities there too.
It is also hoped that the successful transformation of the space into the Sensory Garden will enhance the local environment.
In addition to the award from the Local Area Forum, Chiltern District Council, Chesham Council, Chesham In Bloom, Bucks Examiner, Michael Brand, Parent donations, Elmtree Friends and Family (PTA), Chatterbox Charity, Kingston Communications, Chesham Rotary, Ernest Cook Trust, Waitrose Community Matters and other smaller local businesses also funded the garden.
7 Project Reports
Chesham Jubilee Celebrations
A celebration event too place over the Jubilee weekend in 2012 in Chesham. The event was cross-generational in approach and included the promotion of different sites around Chesham where people would be gathering together to celebrate the Jubilee.
LAF Priorities: young people,
older people, Asian community, local economy, sense of community.
A number of community based organisations such as the Mosque, local schools, Youth Council, Chesham Asian Welfare Society and the local shop retailers were involved in the extensive preparations for the event.
Around 2000 people involved themselves in various activities over the weekend including a commu- nity lunch, the Chiltern Harriers run, the Walkers are Welcome Jubilee route , a concert and fireworks.
Commonwealth Festival Chesham Asian Welfare Society
A celebration event too place over the Jubilee weekend in 2012 in Chesham. Tied in with this was the Chesham Asian Welfare Society’s Commonwealth Festival which was awarded £2,000 from the LAF. The aim of the festival was to highlight the different cultures of the commonwealth and to cele- brate the harmonious relationships that exist in Chesham. It was also an opportunity for a large eth- nic group that has found it’s home in Chesham within the period of the Queen’s reign to celebrate. Activities included live music, African drumming, instrumental Pothari music, Bollywood and Polish dance performances and singing. There was also face painting, henna artists, international cuisines and jewellery stalls.
8 Project Reports
Pond Park Health and Community Fair
Chiltern District Council and NHS Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire Cluster were awarded £425 to put towards running a Health Fair, targeting the whole community, in Pond Park. Health Fairs offer people and their carers a convenient ‘one stop shop’ for infor- mation and advice.
Key organisations were invited, to give vital messages and infor- mation to children, parents and older people. In order to attract parents and children, the event was organised during the Jubilee week, and was promoted as a Jubilee Family Fun Day.
It was also decided to incorporate the 'mini health check' event with the health fair. The ‘mini health check’ raises awareness of the healthcare services in the local area, how to access them and to provide information on a variety of health topics.
The ‘mini health check’ provided a personalised check up LAF Priority: Community Well- to individuals which included smoking status, being, Older and younger people, cholesterol checking, glucose checking and blood pres- Asian community. sure reading.
Each individual was given a 'health card' at the event to be completed as they progressed around the different screening stations. With the data collected, the individual was asked permission for a copy to be taken and sent to their GP. The individual was encouraged to make an appointment with their GP to discuss the results in more detail if they required. (On receiving the data the GP also has the opportunity to invite the individual to see them to discuss their results in more detail.)
This event was extremely successful, with a turn out of 128, despite a very wet rainy day and the overall feedback was very positive. The halls were very lively, creating a warm atmosphere and people were very relaxed. There were many requests to make the event an annual event.
Movers and Shakers (Chesham Asian Men)
The Movers and Shakers programme was awarded £1,950 from the LAF. The programme, which re- ceived between 8—11 men each week was varied including:
Sessions on healthy eating and giving information on what various fruits contain that is good for healthy living. 10 week ESOL course in Basic English. Model Making sessions using balsa wood. Sessions on gardening and cooking healthy food. First aid course run by The U Project which was received well by the group and there have been requests for a course in the next stage of Fist Aid. Presentation from the Alzheimer’s Society resulting in two follow on sessions. GLL (Better) have run one hour fitness and health checks every week which have shown how the men’s health improved, two were advised to go to their doctors (both received medical treatment and are now back exercising again). Several of the men have now joined the Leisure Centre.
9 All projects funded
Projects Total Project Cost LAF Contribu on Building Community Capacity £8,200 (Came in under-budget at £5466) Commonwealth Festival £2,650 £2,000
Pond Park Health and Community Fair £725 £425
Rafes Place at Chesham Youth Centre £1,510 £1,510 Chesham Jubilee Celebrations £9,939 £2,000 Movers and Shakers Chesham Asian (and other £5,020 £1,950 BME) Men’s Health and Wellbeing Project
Elmtree School Sensory Garden £27,200 £2,000
Citizen’s Advice Bureau Outreach £6,600 £3,324
Chesham Walkers are Welcome—Food Trail £1,600 £500
Blue Light Course £2,470 £1,970
TOTAL £ £23,879
Transportation projects Loca on Scheme Cost Chesham TC—Market Square Black fencing and repair of culvert £4,000
Chesham TC—Fullers Close Grasscrete £15,425
Cholesbury PC—Oak Lane / Jenkins Lane Kerbing of grass island £2,500
Cholesbury PC—St Leonards Grit bin £450
Chartridge PC—Cogdells Lane Grit bin £450 Cholesbury PC—Pound Lane / Stoney Lane Kerbing of grass triangle £2,500 Marked crossing point for pede- CDC— Star Yard car park, Chesham £5,000 trians Chesham—Pheasant Rise Grit bin £380 TOTAL £30,705
For more information on the Chesham and Chiltern Villages Local Area Forum, the local priorities budget, or if you want to get involved, please contact: Christine Gardner, Localities and Communities Manager, Tel: 01296 383645 or email: [email protected]
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