Community Plan, Including

CONTENTS

Page

Acknowledgements 3

Foreword by our chairman, Nick Heard 4

What is Big Local 5

Three Parishes Big Local – our area 6

Three Parishes Big Local – our story so far 6

Our Shared Vision 7

Getting things done – our activities plan 10

Valuing People 20

Budget 21

Safeguarding the Community’s £1million 22

Appendices

1. Map of the Three Parishes Big Local area 23

2. Developing our Community Aspirations 24

3. Consultation 2016 25

Acknowledgements

The 3 Parishes Big Local Programme would like to thank the many groups and individuals who have supported the review and development of this Community Plan, including:

Clare Babbs

Community groups who took part in our Big Chat & Big Celebration events.

Local Trust

Local Schools

Local Vicars and Ministers

Oswestry Community Action (Qube)

Residents who attended the Big Chat & Big Celebration events and were involved in the consultation

Selattyn & Gobowen Parish Council

Shropshire Council Officers

Shropshire Rural Community Council

St Martins Parish Council

St Martins School Supporters Club

Weston Rhyn Parish Council

……and anyone else that we may have neglected to mention.

Foreword By Our Chairman, Nick Heard.

In developing this Community Plan, we started by reviewing our second year of delivery which is documented in our ‘Community plan review July 2016’.

Moving forward, the most significant change is a re-write of our Community Aspirations and Guiding Principles, or Partnership Values as we are now calling them. We hope the language that we have used is now more easily understood within the community. Also, we have tried to reflect more closely, the sentiment of the residents that concern is shown for the health and well-being of all ages.

In terms of the way the cash is used, we will maintain the availability of grants, but we would like to see more additional, innovative activities which will closely follow the Community’s Aspirations.

Partners and our workers will continue to develop wider skills, including the skills of inviting groups to tender for specified activities. For example, with the support of Oswestry Community Action, we plan to use a tender process for our financial inclusion activities very early in our third year. This sort of project is much bigger than most previous ones, will require greater involvement and is likely to ‘cost’ more.

We are still interested in hearing about ideas from residents, particularly those which might bring together people of all ages.

So, please read the plan we have written for the next few years and, if you have any point of view, please let us know.

Nick Heard Three Parishes Big Local Partnership Chair July 2016

If you want further details, or to become involved with Three Parishes Big Local, get in touch with a member of our team to find out more:

Bridget Laraway Paula Pugh Co-ordinator Communications Officer Tel: 01691 656882 Tel: 01691 656882 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Write to us at: Three Parishes Big Local, Qube, Oswald Road, Oswestry, SY11 1RB

Facebook: 3PBigLocal

Twitter: 3PBigLocal

What Is Big Local?

Big Local is an exciting opportunity for residents in 150 areas around England to use at least £1m to make a massive and lasting positive difference to their communities. It’s about bringing together all the local talent, ambitions, skills and energy from individuals, groups and organisations who want to make their area an even better place to live.

Big Local is being run by Local Trust, which is working with over £200m from the Big Lottery Fund and a range of partners providing expert advice and support for residents.

The four programme outcomes for Big Local are:

1. Communities will be better able to identify local needs and take action in response to them 2. People will have increased skills and confidence, so that they continue to identify and respond to needs in the future 3. The community will make a difference to the needs that it prioritises 4. People will feel that their area is an even better place to live.

What’s it not about?

 It’s NOT about your local authority, the government or a national organisation telling you what to do  It’s NOT about individual groups fixing their favourite problem without talking to a wide range of different people who live and work in the community  It’s NOT about short term thinking – you’ve got 10 years or more to plan and deliver the best options for your area.

In the Three Parishes Big Local area, the programme is managed by a group of volunteers who reflect the communities, known as the Partnership. The expectation is that membership of the Partnership will evolve during the 10 year programme with additional or replacement members joining. A number of volunteer Advisors support the Partners. Advisors are people who may have specialist knowledge or who may be interested in a particular aspect of the Big Local programme.

Three Parishes Big Local – our area

Situated close to the border with Wales in north Shropshire, the 3 Parishes Big Local area is made up of the three villages of Weston Rhyn, Gobowen and St Martins and the rural area that lies between them. With a combined population of about 8,000 the three villages are linked by scenic countryside and smaller, rural settlements. The Llangollen canal flows through the area. Amenities differ between the three villages but are generally good and include primary schools and an all- through school, local shops, churches, playing fields, an independent supermarket, a dentist, a train station, industrial units and a number of community centres.

In the early phases of our Big Local programme we compiled and published our “Community Profile”. This document gives a comprehensive picture of our community and is available from our website www.big-local.org.

Three Parishes Big Local – our story so far

The Big Local programme was first launched in our area in 2011. The initial phase was a combination of getting people involved in the project and carrying out community research and consultation which was completed in early 2014. The Three Parishes Big Local Partnership was formed and approved by Local Trust in the spring of 2014.

To release the £1million Big Lottery funding, the Partnership’s first task was to develop a Community plan which outlined how the funding would be invested to benefit the communities. Our first plan covered September 2014 – August 2016 and was submitted to Local Trust in July 2014. It was approved and we received our first instalment of the funding in September 2014; additional instalments have since been received at regular intervals.

This document, our Years 3-5 plan, outlines how we would like to build on the achievements of the first two years, and covers the period from September 2016 to August 2019. In developing this plan, we launched our consultation with residents at our Big Chat event in January 2016, and opportunities to provide feedback continued until the end of May 2016. Residents were asked a number of key questions and were also asked to let us have any ideas or suggestions for the future of the programme. The consultation questions were on display at Gobowen Library, St Martins Centre and St Martins Church, and were included in at least one issue of the village magazines which are distributed to each household in the area.

The feedback that we received from this consultation is in Appendix 3 of this document.

Our Shared Vision

Our Shared Vision remains unchanged from our first Community plan:

“In 10 years time, the 3 Parishes Big Local programme will have improved the lives of the people who live in and around the area. The 3 Parishes will be even more safe and comfortable and will be good places to live, learn and grow.”

Our ambition is to achieve RESILIENCE, CONFIDENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY.

As a result of feedback from residents, we have refreshed the Community Aspirations from our first Community plan, and refreshed and re-branded our Guiding Principles as ‘Partnership values’. Although the language of both the Community Aspirations and Partnership values has changed, the ‘spirit’ remains consistent with our first Community plan.

Our refreshed Community Aspirations and Partnership Values are on the next two pages.

Create more opportunities for gaining skills & qualifications

Build more Enable ALL opportunities for residents to everyone to benefit from being improve their part of our health & well- community being Our community aspires to:

Get the best out of Make the most of our rural our community environment and buildings economy

Become more enterprising

Our Community Aspirations have been based on consultation and feedback from the residents of Weston Rhyn, St Martins and Gobowen. Ensuring that residents are well informed about opportunities and actvities available

Maximising funding Encouraging from other bodies enterprise, social which bring added enterprise and social benefit to the investment. 3Parishes area.

Our Partnership Values Maintaining the Keeping in touch with sustainability of residents' needs and 3Parishes Big Local wants in respect of and the projects that the Big Local project we support.

Our Partnership Values have been Working in Delivering quality discussed and agreed partnership with projects which work other providers: by the Three Parishes towards gaining Councils, charities and recognition other organisations. Big Local Partnership. Getting Things Done – Our Activities Plan

AIM: To ensure maximum progress in the direction of the COMMUNITY ASPIRATIONS, whilst working within our PARTNERSHIP VALUES.

We envisage that the £1m Big Local investment will continue to be used to deliver many different projects and activities over the remainder of the 10 year programme. Projects may be:

 Partnership led  Community led  Commissioned by the Partnership and delivered by third parties.

Planned Projects

The table below gives details of our planned projects. Cost details are included in our Budget on page 21 of this document.

Project Title and Description How this links to the Community What does success look like? Aspirations Three Parishes Big Local Co-ordinator The continued employment of our Big Local Co- Employing a Big Local Co-ordinator  The Partnership will have been ordinator will continue to support the delivery of the supports all the Community informed with research and whole Big Local programme. The responsibilities Aspirations. A Co-ordinator will supported with process of the Co-ordinator include: drive the programme forward, development, admin support etc. as  Point of contact for Three Parishes Big provide necessary support for the needed Local ensuring that anyone contacting us various projects and ensure  The Community Chest and Big will know who to go to sustainability. Grants Scheme will continue to  Supporting the Big Local Partnership receive applications. Applicants will  Co-ordinating Big Local activities continue to be guided and  Progressing the Community Plan supported through the application  Investigating Partnership-led projects process  Supporting Community-led projects  Further progress will have been  Managing the grant and funding advice made on current projects and new service projects will have been identified  Managing the Community Chest and Big and investigated Grants Scheme grant application processes  Events and activities will have been and supporting organisations to apply for co-ordinated funding.  All three communities will be more informed and aware of Three Parishes Big Local.

Project Title and Description How this links to the Community What does success look like? Aspirations Communications & Community Project Officer Our Communications & Community Project Officer Employing a Communications &  The communities will be well has been in post since June 2016. The continued Community Project Officer supports informed about the Three Parishes employment of this Officer will continue to support all the Community Aspirations. Big Local programme the delivery of the whole Big Local programme, in  The communities will be well particular our Communications Strategy. The This role is particularly relevant to informed about local events, responsibilities of this Officer include: aspirations that become more activities and opportunities  Point of contact for Three Parishes Big achievable through effective  Three Parishes Big Local events Local ensuring that anyone contacting us communication, and will particularly will be organised and evaluated will know who to go to support the following Partnership  Three Parishes Big Local will have  Big Local Communications & Publicity Values: been actively involved and including Press Releases, website content  Ensuring that residents are supported the ‘Our Bigger Story’ & social media well informed about project  Compiling and arranging distribution of our opportunities and activities  Credit Union activities will continue ‘What’s On’ Bulletin available to be promoted within the area and  Organising Three Parishes Big Local events  Keeping in touch with other community projects will have  Supporting the Three Parishes Big Local residents needs and wants in been developed and delivered participation in the ‘Our Bigger Story’ media respect of the Big Local  Community projects will have been project Project. developed and delivered when  Supporting the FAIRshare Credit Union identified by the Partnership. project in the Three Parishes Area  Supporting the development and delivery of other community projects as they are identified by the Partnership.

Project Title and Description How this links to the Community What does success look like? Aspirations Enterprise support programme In our Getting Started phase, we launched a Create more opportunities for  There will be more small Business Forum which was well received by local gaining skills and qualifications businesses supporting the local business people but, for various reasons, didn’t economy continue. Through our community consultation Become more enterprising  There will be an increase in and focus group meetings with local business residents ‘buying local’ people we have developed an Enterprise Support Get the best out of our rural  There will be an increase in Programme which will: environment & economy. people accessing quality  Raise the profile of local business, services employment and craftspeople  More products will be made  Provide support for business start-ups locally and sold outside our local  Provide training and access to specialist area advice  Local businesses will be  Develop business networks / buddies / supporting each other. forums for exchanging information and ideas  Provide loans and grants to small businesses  Provide loans and grants to people for training to enable them to access employment (e.g. HGV licences).

Project Title and Description How this links to the Community What does success look like? Aspirations Communication programme Our aim is to build on the Communication A robust communication programme  The communities’ awareness and programme delivered since the start of the Three will support all our Community understanding of Three Parishes Parishes Big Local project. We will continue to Aspirations and will particularly Big Local will continue to improve increase awareness of 3 Parishes Big Local within support the following Partnership  Applications will be received for the our communities with marketing material and other Values: Community Chest and Big Grants promotional activities.  Ensuring that residents are Scheme funds well informed about  There will have been discussion We will develop, produce and organise distribution opportunities and activities around potential projects with of a fortnightly “What’s On” bulletin in both paper available members of the community and and electronic format. The aim of this bulletin is to  Keeping in touch with volunteers will have come forward raise awareness of Community events, activities residents needs and wants in to become involved and opportunities, and Three Parishes Big Local respect of the Big Local  Statutory bodies and other relevant events, activities and opportunities. project. agencies (such as parish councils) will be more informed This activity also covers the hosting and licensing  The Partnership will continue to be of our website, www.big-local.org. informed on current issues and any particular needs  The communities will be well informed about local events, activities and opportunities.

Project Title and Description How this links to the Community What does success look like? Aspirations Community Chest We launched our Community Chest Small Grants Projects funded from this  The communities will have Fund with our Pathways funding and continued the Community Chest for small grants benefitted from resilient, sustainable scheme with our first 2 years community plan will link to one or more of the groups that are better resourced funding. To date we have supported over 35 Community Aspirations.  People in the communities will have projects with a broad range of aims and objectives. more opportunities to participate and take advantage of groups and Many small groups have benefited from cash services injections of up to £500 for specific projects and  Applicants will have contacted the we would like to continue this. Co-ordinator and will have been supported through the process The grants to small projects and community  Grants will have been awarded and groups represent good value in terms of the overall evaluation received back from the impact that they have on our local community and applicants the evaluation and monitoring information that we  Successful projects will have been receive from these grants enables us to learn a celebrated and involved in great deal about the things that work in our newsletters and promotional community. materials  Successful applicants will have helped to promote Big Local as part of their activity.

Project Title and Description How this links to the Community What does success look like? Aspirations Savings Clubs in Schools We have been working with Fairshare Credit Union Build more opportunities for  Savings clubs will be established in to establish savings clubs in the schools and youth everyone to improve their health & at least one other school in the area clubs in our area. To date, we have established well-being  There will be a positive impact on one at Gobowen Primary school. It has been more financial education difficult than anticipated to secure the time Enable ALL residents to benefit from  The number of school children with commitment needed from the schools to get these being part of our community. experience of saving money will off the ground. increase We would like to continue to fund Fairshare Credit Create more opportunities for  A positive working relationship will Union to work with the schools to get other savings gaining skills & qualifications. have been developed between clubs off the ground and to support them until they Three Parishes Big Local and the are firmly established. local schools. In addition to the benefits to children of membership of a school savings club, the children running the savings clubs are developing skills in management, IT, finance, marketing and customer service.

Project Title and Description How this links to the Community What does success look like? Aspirations BIG Grants Scheme. The BIG Grants scheme is for grants above £500. We expect that project proposals  The communities will have The Partnership has not set a maximum grant will cover the whole range of benefitted from resilient, sustainable value but has stated that grants above £5,000 can Community Aspirations. Some groups, services and organisations only be approved if they make significant progress projects will link to more than one that are better resourced towards the Community Aspirations Community Aspiration.  People in the communities will have This grants scheme can be used to fund projects more opportunities to participate in two ways: and take advantage of new, 1. Applicants can identify projects that work improved and innovative groups towards the Community Aspirations and apply for and services funding.  Applicants will have contacted the 2. The Partnership can identify projects that they Co-ordinator and will have been would like to see happen in the area and either supported through the process deliver the projects or commission them from  Grants will have been awarded and within the Community. progress reports received back from The potential scope for projects is far-reaching. the applicants  Successful projects will have been celebrated and involved in newsletters and promotional materials  Successful applicants will have helped to promote Big Local as part of their activity.

Project Title and Description How this links to the Community What does success look like? Aspirations Financial Inclusion Project Financial exclusion and basic money management Enable ALL residents to benefit from  Residents will have reduced levels skills were identified as areas of concern in the being part of our community. of over-indebtedness early stages of the Three Parishes Big Local  Residents of all ages will be more programme. In the first 2 years of delivery, we Build more opportunities for aware of how to budget and will have started to tackle this by promoting Credit everyone to improve their health have increased general money Union Services in the local area but the aim of our and well-being management skills Financial Inclusion Project in Years 3-5 is to tackle  There will be a greater level of a number of different, but inter-linked, issues. Create more opportunities for resilience and residents will be With the support of Oswestry Community Action, gaining skills and qualifications. better able to cope with unexpected we will commission one or more organisations to changes to their income deliver the following services:  Awareness of debt and associated 1. Financial education. issues will have been raised in the This includes budgeting advice, general money local area. management, shopping habits and food waste education, benefits advice and advice on switching utility providers. 2. Tackling debt Advising individuals who are over-indebted, including homeowners, private tenants and social tenants. 3. Emergency Purchase Fund. Administering a fund for grants/loans for emergency purchases. This service will need to be fully developed by the service provider.

Project Title and Description How this links to the Community What does success look like? Aspirations Events In our first two years of delivery, we have Enable ALL residents to benefit from  There will be opportunities or local organised 4 community events with the aim of being part of our community. groups to share information about sharing information about the great things that go what they do and to recruit new on in our communities and enabling people to get Build more opportunities for members involved – The Big Get Together, The Big Chat everyone to improve their health  There will be opportunities for local and The Big Celebration. These events have and well-being visual arts and performance arts involved showcases and performances by local groups to showcase their talent groups and service providers and the feedback Create more opportunities for  Residents will be more aware of from residents and groups has been extremely gaining skills and qualifications. local opportunities, activities and positive. events We plan to repeat this type of event each year, Make the most of our community  More residents will become active developing the format each time based on buildings. in the community and get involved feedback from residents. Ultimately, our goal is to with local groups for these events to become self-sustaining.  There will be increased attendance Hand in hand with events that we organise, we will at community events organised by support local community events by funding an local groups, making them more activity or opportunity at the event to attract more sustainable. people to the event, such as circus skills workshops, storytellers, or music workshops. We will work with the event organisers to determine the best way to support their particular event.

Valuing People

AIM: To ensure we have the right people and skills to make consistent progress towards the Community Aspirations, recognising the importance of volunteers and our Partnership Values.

We recognise that people are a key resource in ensuring the success of the Three Parishes Big Local programme and can be involved at a number of different levels.

The Three Parishes Big Local Partnership are the decision makers behind the Three Parishes Big Local programme. There are 12 Partners, 10 of whom are residents of the Three Parishes Big Local area and, as a Partnership, they are accountable to the community for ensuring that the £1million Big Lottery funding is used to fund projects that work towards achieving the Community Aspirations. The Partnership’s approach is to fund or commission projects, rather than to deliver projects themselves.

Two workers play a key part in driving the Three Parishes Big Local programme forward – our Big Local Co-ordinator, and our Communications and Community Project Officer.

As we move into Years 3-5 of our plan, volunteers will play a crucial role in making progress towards our Community Aspirations. We recognise that volunteers are a valuable asset and we have funded the local volunteer centre, managed by Oswestry Community Action, to deliver a programme of recruiting and supporting volunteers within our area.

All the residents in our area also have a part to play. Ideas, suggestions and feedback from local residents, and a willingness to get involved, will help the Partnership to ensure that the Three Parishes Big Local programme is community-led, and is continuing to work towards improving the lives of local people.

Budget

Our Budget for planned projects is shown below:

Projects Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Big Local Co-ordinator £19,977 £19,977 £19,977 Communications & £19,546 £19,546 £19,546 Community projects officer Enterprise Support £17,500 £17,500 £17,500 programme Communications £6,950 £6,950 £11,450 Community Chest £12,000 £12,000 £12,000 School Savings Club £2,000 £2,000 £2,000 BIG Grants Scheme £35,000 £35,000 £35,000 Financial Inclusion project £40,000 £40,000 £40,000 Partnership Room hire £800 £800 £800 Refreshments £300 £300 £300 Partnership Training, £3,000 £3,000 £3,000 expenses, insurance Big Local Events £1,000 £1,000 £1,000 Community Events £1,500 £3,000 £3,000 Totals £159,573 £161,073 £165,573

Total Budget for Years 3 – 5 = £486,219

Safeguarding Our Community’s £1million

AIM: To ensure prudent management of the funding available to our project

We take our responsibility for investing the Three Parishes Big Local £1million seriously. Funding decisions are made at Partnership meetings in accordance with the rules set out by Local Trust and may be subject to audit. Grant applications are considered fairly and transparently and projects are monitored and evaluated once funding is agreed.

We have worked with Qube (also known as Oswestry Community Action) as our Locally Trusted Organisation (LTO) from the very early stages of the Big Local project in the Three Parishes area. As our Locally Trusted Organisation, Qube administers and accounts for the distribution of any funding agreed by the Partnership and reports directly to Local Trust.

Appendix 1: Map of the Three Parishes Big Local area.

Appendix 2: Developing our Community Aspirations

In referring to ‘our’ Community Aspirations, the Partnership is speaking on behalf of the community and this plan is tackling the difficult job of presenting a collective voice. Thus ‘we’, ‘us’, ‘our’ etc. refers to the whole community, not just the members of the Partnership.

• Create more Opportunities for gaining skills and qualifications. If we were to prioritise our Aspirations this would, without a doubt, be the highest. There is considerable concern within the communities, particularly for our young people. Three Parishes Big Local wishes to support projects which will raise educational aspirations and success. Building on this Aspiration further, Three Parishes Big Local wishes to support projects that will increase the level of professional and skill qualifications in the area.

• Build more opportunities for everyone to improve their health and well-being. This idea was initially focused on the needs of young people, but more recently it has become apparent there is need for support for all ages. It is important to note that it does not just apply to physical health, e.g. exercise classes, but also includes opportunities for greater fellowship and friendship and other activities which support mental and emotional well-being.

• Get the best out of our rural environment and economy. We, undoubtedly, live in a rural area; this cuts both ways. We all believe the area is a picturesque and healthy place to live (for the most part!) but we have the disadvantage of awkward and expensive public transport, and all the other downsides to countryside life, (limited local employment opportunities, lack of local facilities, unreliable broadband etc.). Three Parishes Big Local will support projects to enable and enhance use of our natural assets, and to improve the opportunities, facilities and mobility of our residents.

• Become more enterprising This has many facets for us but ultimately it means we become more resilient, whether through personal enterprise, business enterprise or social enterprise. That means we are able to find opportunities, and develop skills, to benefit from the inevitable and continuous change; and not be set back by it. Also we need to gain skills to enable our valued activities to become more sustainable with a long term future.

• Make the most of our community buildings Our community buildings are very valuable. They provide the space for many of the things mentioned so far. Unfortunately, they are costly to operate and time consuming to manage. Three Parishes Big Local wishes to support the management and use of these buildings.

• Enable ALL our residents to benefit from being part of our community. This particular aspiration is complicated. We are concerned that many of our residents are unable to join in and benefit from being part of the community; they are "excluded". This may be for a range of reasons, for example lack of funds, disability, living in a remote place, lacking confidence. Three Parishes Big Local wishes to enable everyone who wants to, to join in and be part of our community.

Appendix 3: Consultation 2016 We launched our 2016 formal consultation at our ‘Big Chat’ event held at St Martins School on 23rd January 2016. We invited local residents, groups and grant recipients to come along and chat to us about projects and aspirations for the Three Parishes Big Local Programme. Details of the consultation questions were published in the village magazines, which are delivered free of charge to all houses within our area and residents that had been unable to attend The Big Chat were invited to ring, email or write to us if they had any comments or suggestions. We also put noticeboard displays up in some of the community buildings.

In addition to these specific consultation questions, we regularly ask for ideas and feedback from local groups and residents.

The 2016 consultation questions, and responses that we received are detailed below. I think young families really need………….

 Childcare facilities in the school holidays (Summer Club) and advertise early to get interest.  Speed bumps on Long Croft.  Local Support Structure and activities for children or young mums.  Childcare and early learning. Medical facilities cheap and frequent.  Mother and toddler swimming sessions at school.  Places for 2 year olds to take up funded places offered.  More play equipment (i.e: Zip Wire).  Activities like Sports and Art.  Art and Music activities.  Plenty of free leisure facilities.  A decent Coffee Shop. Somewhere to meet and chat – a pop up café.  Some play equipment for the village. Childcare provision during school holidays (e.g: Summer School).  Social events for all the family (e.g: Quiz nights, Summer BBQ).  More gaming and clubs for 4-10 year olds.  Good education.  More sports to do and access.  To learn skills such as Carpentry, Sewing and gardening. We are such a wasteful culture. Guidance from the ‘make do and mend’ generation would be great.  More play areas close to their homes.

My family really needs………….

 More time together. More understanding of computers and tablets.  Our family do not have a wide support network and we would love the opportunity for our children to mix with older people.  Sewing and Carpentry skills.  Clubs for children 5-10 years. Community BBQ for all in Summertime.  Family social activities at weekends (e.g. Cinema nights, Community BBQ, Picnic on school field).  Childcare during school holidays. Weekend activities for younger kids 4-10 yrs.  A new waterslide.

When I was younger I would have benefitted from………….

 Greater self confidence.  I was a rural child but had access to lots of things via trips, school, library etc. etc. and busses and trains to get to the Cinema etc in local towns – don’t think children can do this now.  Community Canal boat. Volunteering opportunities  Mixing with people of different generations and background in a community allotment.  Access to courses leading to better jobs.  More friendship groups.

3 Parishes Big Local can help existing and/or new business by………….

 Asking people from Moreton Hall, The Quinta etc. to ‘support local’. There is a huge potential. Client base and if they are benefitting from the area, they should be contributing to it (Healthy foods).  Letting mummy’s and Daddy’s take children to work.  Sponsoring... Supervised social activities at for example a café facility (commercial). Existing Café – type facilities are small and inadequate. Gobowen pavilion is not ideal.  Supportive network. Proactive to encourage new start-ups ( funding or facilities/premises store). Web page.  By promoting businesses in the Parish Magazines (listing what is available locally).  Encouraging new start-ups with IT support and advertising.

 Advertising. Ensuring Good Internet access. Low Rates.  Sourcing business properties – office space. Promotion opportunities.  Encouraging children in the secondary school and primary schools to set up and run businesses.  Having Community allotments to grow vegetables together and sell them.  Access to decent Broadband. Bring the businesses together. Training/development support. Pop up office. List of businesses. List of business support available. Business get together just to discuss how they are getting on.  Encouraging back to basics business enterprising from a young age – such as lemonade and popcorn stands, young people doing odd jobs.  Trying to attract and monopolize the ‘Canal Boat’ tourists who come in huge droves in the summer and are always encouraged to walk into Chirk and are then disappointed that there is nowhere good to eat. Also try to attract trade from Moreton Hall School as the girls are allowed to walk into the village.  Advertising Weston Rhyn ‘Stone Henge’ – The Stone Circle and setting it up as a tourist site.  Encouraging young people in the community to get involved, to not feel alienated and to become enterprising – give them some responsibility.

I think older people in the 3 Parishes area

need………….

 More company. Chance to just ‘be’ with each other. Transport.  A volunteer service so that people can help with shopping – hospital visiting/companionship.  Good safe housing throughout the area.  Security of provision of health care and social interaction.  Health Care provision that they can access. Proactive e.g. Taichi, walking groups, gym, support groups in villages.  A day centre excursion, an allotment. Allotments and gardening are one of the only forms of exercise that people can do once they reach a certain age and have health problems.  A more regular bus service.  Later bus service. More drop-off points in Oswestry. Less traffic on the roads to allow kids to use bicycles.  Gobowen: activities I.E: craft mornings, book club. Company.

 Help with transport to hospital for clinics, appointments etc. Current provision is not ideal – they have to be ready long before appointment and can be hanging around for hours waiting for transport.

I think my village is held back by………….

 Weston Rhyn - A lack of outreach from school to village.  Weston Rhyn – A lack of educational facilities at the institute.  Weston Rhyn – A lack of awareness of what they could be, possibilities/what other places do/what is available. Lack of access (no public transport and distance) to museums/galleries etc. etc.  Westyn Rhyn – Vision of the possible informed by the past .  Apathy. Community Spirit.  Broadband speed of 1.06  The absence of a Community allotment or garden.  Narrow minds – not in my back yard.  St. Martins – low expectations – we need to think bigger. Poor evening transport to Oswestry.  St Martins – the lack of interest in volunteering for social events in the village. Lantern parade now cancelled after eight very successful years and growing participation by the children.  Gobowen - No decent indoor community space.  Gobowen – Lack of volunteers. I am one and know very few others. Parish Council could do with a less formal ‘Youth Committee’ to bring strands for each village together and identify areas to progress.  Gobowen – Lack of volunteers. Perhaps Big Local could fund CRB Checks for adult volunteers.

I think our kids in 3 Parishes Big Local area would benefit from………….

 Events such as ‘Lads and Dad’s’ Cricket, Mum’s and daughters’ fashion show, coach trips to the seaside, community service, community volunteering.  A talent show in which different generations collaborate.  A Christmas/disco party.  A club in which older people and children interact socially.

 A local music festival or concert that they could participate in similar to the Eisteddfod. Maybe we could call it “Weston Rhyn’s got Talent”.  Community allotments.  Some sort of structured progression to draw together the elements of young peoples facilities, such as Cubs, Scouts, Youth Club, School. Big Local could identify the gaps and try to fill them, advertising and drawing – in volunteers. I am thinking particularly of Gobowen where the frequent comment is: ‘we have nothing to do!’  Skate park in Weston Rhyn. More activities. Access to swimming pool/Quinta facilities. Why don’t us adults set up a 3P. Canal boat Group? Get kids involved, hire a boat/walks etc. This is a fantastic resource we should be using – Canal goes through all 3 Parishes/lots of people around have boats.  Less dog mess.  Access and building facilities at Quinta – Moreton Park etc.  Seasonal parties or fetes.  An allotment or the school having a garden or vegetable patch.  More swimming.  In terms of older youths/being less alienated and getting involved in community events.  Access to music lessons, gardening and intergenerational community events. Also sewing and carpentry.  Greater respect and less suspicion from adults.  More Youth clubs and adventure clubs.  A park on the football pitch site in Weston Rhyn (Wreck). The two currently accessible are too small. It would be good if local businesses and The Quinta which has a lot of revenue could contribute to the fundraising.  Safe places to walk. The country roads are nice but narrow with no pavements and some cards drive at 60mph.  Activities during the holidays. Youth Club appropriate to age.  Child care provision in school holidays (Summer Club). Advertise early to set Internet. Open pool for everyone early evening and weekends.  Family swimming and sports activities at weekends. Play equipment at school end of village.  Childcare provision during school holidays. Being a working parent is hard.  More sports activities to get them fit and active.

I think my village would be better if………….

 Westyn Rhyn – There were more opportunities to meet other people.  Weston Rhyn – If improved some of the basic things, such as play equipment, bus service, doctor (access to), plus used the village hall more, for youth activities, etc: - It feels more like 3 villages, Wrexham, Chirk Bank and Bronygarth).  Weston Rhyn – Improved access to facilities: Quinta Wood and Stone Circle. Improved public transport facilities, ie: bus shelters. A railway station – re-open Preesgwyn station.  Weston Rhyn – There was a summer fete/gala day with a show. Competitions, Gala Queen etc. To bring people together.  Weston Rhyn – There was a community garden.  Weston Rhyn – There was less dog mess. The streets are covered. If the school, Police and Council got together to run a poster campaign through the children, this could raise awareness – some Councils are DNA testing or spraying silver spray to highlight.  Weston Rhyn – Man shed – communal machines!!  Weston Rhyn – There were greater facilities for Youth activities.  Weston Rhyn – The broadband connection was improved. Last test gave us a speed of 1.06!!  Western Rhyn - Investment shops. Businesses.  Gobowen: It had a sports centre (St. Martins has one!)It could replace Gobowen Pavilion. There must be ex-sportsmen/sportswomen in Gobowen who could do more than football, which is well provided for. They might be happy to help out.  Gobowen: I knew more about what is going on. There is a decent community centre e.g. update the heating in the Church hall.  Gobowen: We had more community events. Better access to the countryside via footpaths.  Gobowen : the broadband speed was better than the 0.5 to 0.9 MB download and 0 to 0.5 MB upload which is currently available.  St. Martins: Evening classes and fitness classes e.g. Yoga, Photography. Community Cinema in school hall.  St. Martins: Family swimming for everyone, early evening/weekends.  St. Martins: People were keener to integrate. It rained less!  St. Martins: Use the school hall for use as a Cinema for all at weekends (Marches School do this).  St. Martins: Family swimming for all, early evenings/weekends.  Evening classes in Sports Hall (aerobics etc.).

 St. Martins: Play equipment/Park at the school end of the village. Speed limited to 20mph outside school.  We had a cinema night at either the community centre or St. Martins school monthly. Like they have at Ellesmere Town Hall. I understand the licence is the main cost and perhaps that is where the Big Local could help by buying a licence?  The local community is developed and interest in bowling is supported.  There were better speed alarming measures, reduced speeds through the village.  There were allotments. Community allotments bring people together, young and old. They promote health, awareness, sustain ability, practical skills and emotional wellbeing. There are lots of small gardens in Weston Rhyn, so an allotment site would be great. 01691-777695.  People stopped their dogs fouling pavements… disgusting!  The consultation assumes that everyone has a good idea of what they want BUT we got this By- Local Grant re: called of our ‘poverty-indices’ and ours are unusual in that they are based around poverty of ‘opportunity’ or ‘access to facilities’ etc. SO, most people are not aware of what they could have and do. This needs to be addressed or all the wish list will ever come back with are skate parks etc. What about men’s sheds. Bet no one has mentioned them and they are such a good idea for elderly men