AGENDA ITEM

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Central Area Committee Meeting Community Development Service Report

As part of the Community Development Service’s commitment to improving communication, each area committee will now receive a report on the service as a whole, as well as specialized items of their particular area.

The Community Development Service (CDS) - Management /Staffing Information:

Cllr. Ashraf is the Borough Council portfolio holder for The CDS, which is part of the Housing and Community Living Department of the Council, managed by Pam Garraway. The CDS comes under the direct line management of Mike McMahon (Head of Housing Strategy & Private Sector) whilst The CDS team is headed up by Sandra Hayes (Community Development Service Manager), supported by an Area Operations manager and four area managers (UDMs) and Centre staff; a Neighbourhood Governance Team (Manager and assistant - who are working exclusively in Luton West / South on the Neighbourhood Governance Project); 2 Project Managers (one specialising in group work and the other in communications) and a Service Support Team.

In Central Area the Community Development Service runs the , Saints and Community Centres. The highlights for / from the centres / area from the April 2010 follow together with a Performance Management report on / from the Community Development Service in general, with some interesting information on the communities we work with in Area South:

Responsible Unit Development Manager: Heather James (Bushmead) Rizvan Bashir (Saints and Bury Park)

Report for Central Area Committee from Heather James UDM (Central and East)

• Members of Bushmead Play Project are very concerned that the Government’s decision to withdraw vast amounts of ‘Playbuilder’ funding could mean that plans to develop the area in Lambourn Drive are seriously at risk. A decision will be made imminently to determine which of the proposed developments nation-wide will be affected by the cut in spending. If the plan is able to proceed it is hoped that work could start very soon as the design and consultation work is already complete.

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• The second phase of the Play Project’s development plans has begun. Funding is being sought to make improvements to the Community Centre play area. This area was determined as the number one priority for local people in the Bushmead neighbourhood when extensive consultation was carried out late last year.

• The extension to Room 3 is almost finished and will enable greater flexibility for community use as well as offering 15 extra places for under 5’s at the Bushmead Pre-school sessions. The additional space will also house a small office for the exclusive use of the Pre-school Manager and will offer the benefit of much improved lighting as there are new windows to the side of the room. A new large canopy will offer children and families using the play area some welcome shelter, and the play area itself will be made safe and usable until further funding can be found.

• There are a number of new groups who will be using Bushmead Community Centre very shortly. ‘Get back to Pilates’, ‘Strengthening Families’, young people’s Street Dance and Body Combat are all keen to get started soon. Centre staff are also working with local Asian ladies to offer a new social session that will meet their needs and interests.

• Bushmead Users Association is planning various forthcoming events including a Women’s Pamper day on the afternoon of October 16th 2010 at which there will be opportunities for manicures, massage, reiki, reflexology etc as well as plenty to buy from a range of stalls including bags, jewellery, cakes etc. Meetings have also been held with partners at Christchurch and the John Dony Field Centre to begin to plan the Cattern Day and Christmas Festival on 27th November 2010.

• Bushmead Residents Association meets regularly to discuss how local improvements can be made. Dates of meetings can be obtained from the Community Centre on 422818.

Saints / Bury Park Responsible Unit Development Manager: Rizvan Bashir

SAINTS COMMUNITY CENTRE

EVENTS

A very successful Big Lunch event at Saints Community Centre was held on the 18th July 2010 with an attendance of around 75 people. This was publicised in the Community First newsletter which is available at all Community Centres with photos of the event. The’ Big Lunch’ featured entertainment for the children, games, face painting etc and for the adults music and songs were provided by Simon Aldridge and Diverse FM. The centre supplied refreshments and cakes and all that attended were invited to bring a dish from their native country, which included foods from Malaysia, 12/2

India, Bangladesh, Lebanon and Africa. Staff are now in the process of planning next year’s event, due to the success and positive responses from everyone.

PLAYSCHEMES

The centre facilitated the disability playschemes during the summer, run by Friends of Bright Eyes. It was an all day provision offering respite for families of children with severe disabilities, it was a great success and they had an attendance of about 20 young people of various ages, this is an ongoing activity and the centre will continue to support this organisation.

Saints accommodated children from the age of 5yrs to 11yrs in providing a summer playschemes programme, which ran for 2 weeks at the centre. Staff members and volunteers ran the programme. The centre engaged with the PCSO’S, Beds Rural Communities Charity, Luton PCT Healthy Eating Advisers, to provide an educational, informative and fun packed programme, which was attended by many local children. Our next centre playscheme will be held in October 2010.

SOCCER SCHOOL The Soccer School commenced on Wednesday 5th May 2010 from 5.30 pm to 7pm and has been running very successfully every Wednesday since that day.

This project has helped to build stronger links between Police, the local PCSO’s and LBC Community Development staff. The structured programme has also promoted good citizenship values, active and positive community links between young people and the community.

During the World Cup period, a special day was arranged, whereby young people from the Soccer School were invited to watch v Slovenia match. Refreshments and finger food was provided by the centre during the game. This also proved to be very successful event as there was an attendance of 30 young people.

SAINTS LITTLE TREASURES The term has just commenced and the pre-school are busy settling new children into the setting. The setting is supporting our childcare classes and currently has 2 students on placements; this is the requirement for their course to work in a placement to gain the relevant skills and knowledge to successfully pass the course. We are looking forward to help and support the pre-School for the following year.

CHILDCARE CLASSES The centre is currently facilitating the running of two level 3 childcare courses and one level 2 childcare course with an average of 42 people working towards a childcare qualification. This is in partnership with Pre-School

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Learning Alliance and is an ongoing established group. This group were successful in gaining funding and have a library of books to help and support the students with their training.

BURY PARK COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRE Jigsaw Pre School Extension

The Planning process and application went through at the second attempt and work started on the extension on Tuesday 31st August 2010. Currently the Bury Park Community Centre car park is also closed due to Health and Safety with staff and centre users parking in the local area. Subject to there being no problems with weather, work should be completed towards the end of December 2010. Due to the building works taking place, the Jigsaw Pre School has been relocated to the Oak Room, as this was the only room that had been cleared by OFSTED. The groups that would normally use the Oak Room during the week have been relocated in other parts of the building with no group having to reschedule or cancel any of their sessions/ activities. Currently we are liaising with partners to ensure the project runs smoothly.

Crescent Summer School Bury Park CC have been worked in Partnership with CYCD to run an ongoing Summer School at the premises. Activities included, Table Tennis, Various Games, excursions and workshops. Children from 10-19 years of age attend from Monday-Friday between the hours of 10am- 4pm. This proved to be very popular with up to 90 children attending each day.

Dallow Playschemes Staff are currently liaising with Primary School in setting up October Playschemes at their School. The playschemes will run from the 25th October to 29th October in the mornings from 10.00am to 12 .00pm for children between 5 and 10 years of age.

Dallow Festival (NG Event) On Sunday 18th July 2010, the Community Development Service staff were involved in the organisation of the Dallow Festival held at the Brantford Road Park in the Dallow area of Luton. The event was a huge success that was enjoyed by all. The festival held bouncy castles, inflatables, face painting, musical entertainment, food, and many other activities for all the families to enjoy. This was part of the Neighbourhood Governance work with over 100 people attending the N.G tent to raise their concerns and issues within the Dallow Ward. The staff have also carried out 50 face to face questionnaires and are currently working towards the Participatory Budget ensuring that all members of the community are represented in consultations.

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Dallow Learning Community Centre Ongoing partnership work is continuing between the Dallow Learning Community Centre (DLCC) and the NG Worker in ensuring the Neighbourhood Governance events are a success in the Dallow area. Currently plans are underway in setting up/relaunching the Dallow festival committee which will work effectively towards the Dallow Festival 2011.

Fundraising/ community events Flood Appeal at Bury Park Community Resource Centre On Saturday 21st of August 2010, local community leaders, businesses and the general community were involved in a flood appeal at the Bury Park Community Resource Centre, whereby a Ramadhan Iftar Party was also arranged in which all money raised would go to the Pakistan Flood Appeal. The event was a huge success with over 300 people attending; activities included face painting, henna artists, clothes stalls, jewellery and much more. Food was also being sold in the cafeteria where members of the community were able to purchase what they liked. Just over £1400 was raised and all proceeds went to Islamic Relief charity

Healthy Ramadhan This event was organised by the Luton Council of Mosques, in partnership with Community Development, Muslim Doctors Association, Red Cross and other partners. The event focused on healthy living and towards an overall healthy lifestyle. With the Month of Ramadan approaching it highlighted the need to reduce binge eating and avoiding food, which has a direct correlation to heart, related illnesses.

The United Luton Fundraising Iftar Event On Saturday 28th August 2010, staff and other colleagues and volunteers from the Bury Park Community Resource Centre assisted in supporting the United Luton Fundraising iftar Event, held at Venue Central in Luton. Amongst the community representatives were celebrity guests such as Shahid Afridi from the Pakistan Cricket team. Money raised during the auction and pledges made totalled in access of £120,000. During the event over 700 people attended and there was huge media coverage from local newspapers and TV. Staff at Bury Park Community Resource Centre continue to support the Flood appeal via various charities.

Pakistan Disaster Fundraiser The community centre played host to a bazaar and iftar (opening of fast) to raise money for the Pakistan flood victims. The bazaar included various activities from bouncy castles to face painting. There were stalls ranging from cakes to clothing, which were generously donated by a number of businesses and members of the community. The event ended with a community iftar, again food provided by local members of the community and businesses ranging from pakoras and somosas to rice and desserts. The event raised over £4k for the victims of the floods in Pakistan.

Pamper Day – Tuesday 31st August 2010

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Together with Central Bedfordshire College there was a Free Pampering Day held at the Bury Park Community Resource Centre. With pre appointments made and 25 Health and Beauty Therapists, the day was a big success with over 300 people attending the event, many of whom had not been the any community centres before. The community had the opportunity of treatments such as Facials, Indian Head Massages, Manicures, Pedicures and many others goodies throughout the day.

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General Information on Community Development Service

Community

Development

Service

Performance Management Report

Sandra Hayes Quarter Ending June 2010

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Contents

1. Report on 1st Quarter activities from The Community Development Service

2. Community Development Service Statistics for the quarter highlighting use of Raynham Way Community Centre

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Community Development Service 1st Quarter Report 2010

As can be seen from the following The Community Development Service has had a very busy 1st quarter of the year between supporting groups, helping to run / organize and be involved in local festivals to emergency planning events.!

A year in the life of Luton’s Community Centres

Autumn/Winter 2009

December 2009 - Feb 2010 Bury Park – Centre for community cohesion due to street disturbances Jan – March 2010 Parktown – Rough Sleepers Emergency Shelter Farley – Emergency Evacuation Centre for residents effected by lack of heating in snow and a possible garage fire. 1st Quarter 2010 (April to July) Bury Park, Bushmead, Chaul End, Farley, Jubilee, Parktown, Raynham, Saints – Election Centres Jubilee – three funeral receptions for local residents Bushmead - Emergency Evacuation Centre for residents effected by WW2 unexploded bomb Bury Park – Centre for community cohesion due to two consecutive tragedies in the immediate area Hockwell - Emergency Evacuation Centre for residents effected by fire in Tower Block Chaul End – launch of a community medical service

12/9 However the work of the Community Development Service is not confined to Community Centres and Spring and Summer saw the communities in Chaul End, Dallow, Farley, Hockwell, , , Parktown, Raynham all hold some kind of event from the Big Lunch at Saints to a local community day at Raynham and first annual Neighbourhood Governance event being staged in Dallow.

Connecting Communities Thanks to funding from Connecting Communities two projects saw the STUMPS and Luton Mini World Cup, under the guidance of Shohir (Uddin) and Adam (Divney) holding big cross town events at Stopsely and Luton Town Football Club.

12/10 Community Development Service Centre / User Work / visits April 2010-Jun2 2010 Under Centre Total Asian Black Oriental White Other Male Female Dis 5 5-12 13-19 Adults 50+

Bury Park 20125 10764 5962 583 2674 142 10880 9245 37 1357 1247 2677 10817 4027 Bushmead 9355 1498 1047 124 6206 480 3892 5463 143 2087 860 173 5697 538 Chaul End 11535 6703 945 92 3795 0 5384 6151 1949 924 1287 750 7152 1422 Farley 6610 1724 852 30 3982 22 3043 3567 123 110 529 672 3893 1406 1225 186 270 0 705 64 442 783 25 44 130 161 616 274 Jubilee 5147 2246 957 12 1850 82 2125 3022 21 620 795 266 3140 326 Lewsey 8460 1133 794 61 6407 65 3441 5019 269 210 1172 738 4693 1647 Park Town 10055 850 1198 138 7596 273 3862 6193 201 1507 1497 267 5888 896 Raynham Way 10747 1124 660 177 8590 196 5018 5729 126 2346 831 157 5895 1518 Saints 6689 4669 769 43 1184 24 2989 3700 6 1564 444 389 3865 427 Sundon Park 1988 90 408 0 1490 0 1318 670 10 52 90 110 1736 0

TOTALS 91936 30987 13862 1260 44479 1348 42394 49542 2910 10821 8882 6360 53392 12481

12/11 Groups Total Social Casual & Events Users Activities

Bury Park 20125 5088 7217 7820 Bushmead 9355 339 400 8616 Chaul End 11535 1954 887 8694 Farley 6610 0 2033 4577 Hockwell Ring 1225 117 93 1015 Jubilee 5147 133 296 4718 Lewsey 8460 274 343 7843 Park Town 10055 0 3976 6079 Raynham Way 10747 631 4459 5657 Saints 6689 100 2495 4094 Sundon Park 1988 65 30 1893

TOTALS 91936 8701 22229 61006

Non- community centre work was estimated at approx. 3000 including ASC clients at Chaul End

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