February 2015Newsletter

School Remembrance Gardens

2014 Project of the Year

High Peak Bridleway

Christmas at Carr Wood

Green fingers at Louth

HLTC Partnership

Derby Skillbuild

Project Updates

Final Touches at Treeton

Autumn Footprints

Hire a room at the Willow Works!

Staff Spotlight

Contact Us

Creswell, Ashfield and MansfieldWorking across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire & Lincolnshire

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Groundwork Creswell, Ashfield & Mansfield

Groundwork have been working on a design and build project at St George’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby. The primary school was attended by the 6 Philpott children who were tragically killed in a fire purposely caused at their home in May 2012. The school have had a garden built within the grounds to remember the 6 young pupils.

Remembrance Garden at St George’s Catholic School, Derby

With funding raised and support sought by the school and Awards for All, Groundwork’s design team began drawing up ideas to which headteacher Patricia Hurd approved. Once the design was set, Groundwork’s landscape and build teams arrived on site, ready to transform the grassed, empty piece of land next to the school car park into a scenic garden and seating area for pupils, teachers, parents and guests of the school to visit and remember those lost.

The 4 week project has seen a combination of hard and soft landscaping, with block paving and limestone paths being laid, cobbles set and 6 benches installed within the star shaped garden pattern. A cherry tree has been planted centrally in the garden, which shall later be joined by plants and flowers surrounding the seating area of different scents and textures for the children of the school to enjoy.

www.groundwork.org.uk/creswell Visit our website:

“The work is always a challenge yet due to the dynamics of the team always enjoyable. If it was not for the hard work, commitment and dedication of the

High Peak Volunteers this project would not be sustainable.”

High Peak Pennine Bridleway maintained by GroundworkGroundwork have for many years enjoyed a long standing highly successful Service Level Agreement (SLA) with Derbyshire County Council Countryside Service.

This last year saw Groundwork in the High Peak working on the famous Pennine Bridleway.

The work is supervised by Groundwork staff member Richard Fletcher in partnership with Derbyshire County Councils Pennine Bridleway Officer Karen Turnbull.

Richard said ‘This project focuses mainly on access improvement aimed at attracting a greater range of the General Public. The work is certainly diverse and can range from removing old stiles and replacing them with easy access Wicket Gates through to Cross Drain clearance work high up on the hills to help with erosion control.’

2014 Project of the Year Winner...Groundwork’s Annual Trust Conference was held at the Amber Valley Borough Council Town Hall, in Ripley, on Thursday 15th January. Board members and council representatives attended the event, where managers from Groundwork’s Construction, Education, Design and Community, Finance and HR departments presented a review of the Trust’s performance during 2014 and the business plans for the coming year.

After discussing upcoming projects and future plans for Groundwork Creswell, Ashfield & Mansfield, our Project of the Year competition took place. Conference attendees were presented with an overview of the 8 nominated projects, before being given voting slips and stating their first choice, as well as second to prevent a tie! The nominations were:

In third place, came ‘Boiler Installed from Santa’. In second, came Specialist Provision, but winning in 1st place and voted project of the year was the Youth Contract!

The Youth Contract assists NEET (not in employment, education or training) young people aged 16-17 years to gain the skills needed in finding paid work. These young people are referred to Groundwork, where training, further education or apprenticeships are given alongside an allocated mentor. This is to ensure the individual remains engaged and has the support to succeed in the programme, which lasts at least 6 months. Groundwork Creswell, Ashfield & Mansfield are one of the top two sub contractors in the East Midlands, succeeding in reaching and exceeding the contracted targets set out in the scheme. Mentors such as Groundwork’s Youth Officer, Kooner Singh, are making a huge difference to these young people’s lives, who, without the Youth Contract and the support provided by Groundwork, may never have been given the opportunity to progress on the NEET register and achieve their goals.

-Waingrove Woods-Specialist Provision (Painting & Decorating)-Boiler Installed from Santa -Denefields Volunteer Ranges

-Autumn Footprints Walking Festival-Harvey Road-The Youth Contract -Crossley Park Sundial

Board members and council representatives were impressed with the range of entries put forward for this year’s competition and didn’t think choosing a winner was easy!

Well done to everyone on all projects Groundwork have been involved in during 2014, and congratulations to the Education Department, in partiuclar Kooner Singh, Paul Kelly & Paul Coulsen for your dedication and hard work with the Youth Contract!

“I now feel more confident and able to focus on my future clearly”

(Connor)

“firstly I thought education was not for me but after the guidance from the youth contract I quickly changed my mind”

(Omar)

“nearly everywhere I’ve been to didn’t give me a second chance but the youth contract helped me and gave the chance I

needed”(Reece)

Christmas at Carr Wood

The workshop activities are led by one of the volunteers, an environmental artist, who is ably supported by other members of the volunteer team. Many of our visitors are now experienced wreath makers and newcomers to the event have many people willing to help them or offer advice.

This year we were lucky with the weather and had a fine, dry but cold afternoon and the hot mulled wine and log burning brazier were most welcome. Refreshments were provided by the Friends of Group members and also included warm mulled soft drinks, mince pies, shortbread biscuits and snowball cakes.

The event is supported by Amber Valley Borough Council, the reserve owners, but is organised and run by Groundwork, with the assistance of the Carr Wood Friends of Group and the Groundwork Conservation Volunteers. All the natural materials - willow, dogwood, ivy, holly, cones and flowers are from the reserve or from members’ gardens and are gathered together in the week before the event. Ribbons and lace and other decorative materials are provided by the environmental artist.

This year’s event attracted a total of 44 adults and 28 children and many outstanding wreaths and decorations were made and taken away. We had many people visiting for the first time this year, including a visitor from Canada who was over for Christmas. An additional 8 volunteers helped to ensure that the event ran smoothly.

This year, again, it was a very enjoyable event and we received many favourable comments from both regular visitors and the many newcomers, who all agreed that the only improvement would have been a few flurries of snow to add to the Christmas atmosphere.

This ever popular annual Christmas event was held at Carr Wood Local Nature Reserve in Ripley on Sunday 14th December. The event, now in its 11th year, is very popular with the local community and for many people it is an important part of their Christmas social calendar. It is an environmental arts workshop, giving people the opportunity to make their own Christmas wreath for their doors. Other Christmas decorations such as angels, paper chains or stars are available to make and these are very popular with our younger visitors. This year an additional activity was available - seasonal cards featuring a holly wreath or robin which could be personally designed and decorated.

Groundwork’s Garden Champion, David Higgs, has been busy working with the youth and local people of Louth for the past year on a fantastic community garden on Park Avenue, a project funded by People’s Health Trust. The scheme aimed to bring the local community together by developing a garden space where fruit, vegetables and plants would grow, and wildlife would form habitats. The local people have been involved in the planting, growing and maintenance of the garden, as well as the initial build and design of the space. Local residents and firms in Louth have been exceptionally generous by donating materials, compost and tools to be used within the garden, with bricks, tyres, wood and other useful resources being put to great use.

In the past year, the garden has flourished, with a variety of plants, fruits, vegetables and herbs being planted around the seasons, as well as a decking area being constructed for people to come and relax during the warmer months. Many groups within the community have been involved in different aspects of the garden, including the young people from the youth club, the women’s institution, local cubs and scout groups and Louth residents.

Dave Higgs has been responsible for hosting a variety of events within the gardens and youth club for local people to attend, including gardening sessions, juicing days and cookery classes. These have been fabulous opportunities for the young people of Louth to learn that the vegetables, herbs and fruit they’ve grown can be used to create tasty foods. During autumn, the youngsters planted Pumpkin seeds and waited patiently for them to grow. When ready, they were dug up and a cookery class was held in the youth club. Here Dave educated the young people to make pumpkin soup, pie and bread, which they were found very tasty!

He stated ‘The kids were taught that pumpkins are not only used for sculpting Halloween faces, but are grown to produce delicious, healthy foods’

To kick start these fantastic events in 2015, a gardening club will begin in February. This club will meet at the gardens on a regular basis where our Garden Champion will work with local residents to continue developing the garden space. Dave and the young people are eager to get as many people on board so that a real joint effort can be made and the community can be brought together once again for

Green fingers at Park Avenue Community Garden, Louth

such a brilliant cause! An advertising campaign will be taking place in the near future, so if you are interested in getting your hands dirty and fancy getting involved....get in touch!!

Another exciting upcoming event is the Louth in Bloom competition that will take place early summer. The community garden shall be entering, and we believe with the support of the local residents and youngsters, we can create a fantastic masterpiece for the contest! A collective decision has meant a plan is in place to build a wooden structure of the local St James Church to mark the celebration of its 500 years. The structure will take pride of place in the garden and shall stand approximately 6ft tall including the spire. Once built, a variety of flowers will be grown to climb the spire, bird boxes will be fixed and fruit such as strawberries will be grown in the windows. Again, this is an incredible opportunity for the Louth community to come together and for all to be involved!

The Park Avenue Community Garden in Louth is an exceptional project that has brought the community together and given the young people and local residents a great opportunity to learn about the environment in an enjoyable, practical way. The efforts of all involved have created a colourful, natural and healthy space for the local community of Louth to benefit from. Groundwork thank everyone who is helping to make this such a successful project and continue to keep up the fantastic work!

To contact Dave please call

(leave a message and your call shall be returned)

07762 819579

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for Park Avenue Community

Garden news, events and dates! All information is updated regularly on Facebook and

Twitter. Follow us on:

‘The Louth Park Ave Community Garden Project’

@LouthYCgarden

During autumn, Gary Wain, Groundwork’s Community Wildspace Officer, arranged and led a guided walk for the members of Heanor and Loscoe Town Council (HLTC) on their Local Nature Reserve at Loscoe. Groundwork have a five year Service Level Agreement with HLTC to manage, maintain and develop the 2.5 hectare Red River Local Nature Reserve.

The reserve is a former industrial site, which provides a variety of important habitats, including a pond, stream, alder and willow carr, wildflower meadows and woodland and provides a home for the nationally protected Great Crested Newt.

Our work on the site has two main objectives. Firstly we manage the reserve to safeguard and enhance habitats for wildlife and encourage bio-diversity of species. Secondly we improve the reserve for the benefit of the local community, to ensure safe public access and to create a friendly and welcoming environment for people to visit.

Gary Wain carries out this work with the assistance of the Friends of Red River Group, local community volunteers who assist with the regular practical task days on the reserve. They create and maintain paths, care for the wildflower meadows, clear reed mace from the pond to maintain open water and hold regular litter picks. Other tasks include coppicing, hedge laying and tree planting.

As part of our agreement with HLTC, a quarterly report is distributed to all members at council meetings. A member of the council attends the bi-monthly Friends of Group meetings to discuss progress on the numerous projects underway on the reserve throughout the year.

The involvement of all members is ensured by an annual walk, where Gary Wain shows the councillors the tasks completed in the past twelve months and discusses with them the projects to be undertaken in the coming year.

The walk in 2014 was held in October and was attended by 12 councillors. An enjoyable and informative couple of hours were spent on the reserve. Project officer Gary Wain says:

“It was great to have such a good turn out and their enthusiasm for the reserve and support for my work was very much appreciated. Many helpful comments and ideas for future projects were forthcoming and all I need to do now is to put their ideas into practice, it

could be a busy twelve months!”

A summer walk was also offered for 2015, so that the councillors can see the reserve at its best with plants in flower, birds singing and hopefully the sun will be shining!

Important Partnership with Heanor & Loscoe Town Council

Image shows volunteers working in the pond to remove the reed mace which was slowly choking the pond and reducing the amount of open water.

Above image shows volunteers digging out the path and installing the new viewing platform which

overlooks the pond.

Groundwork are looking to establish similiar partnerhsips and Service Level

Agreements with additional Parish and Town Councils over the areas of

Derbyshire, North Notitnghamshire and Lincolnshire that Groundwork CAM

cover.

If as a councillor or town clerk you believe a scheme like this could happen in your local area, please contact Gary

Wain for further details.

07866 678048 / GWain@groundwork.org.uk

Groundwork’s Youth Contract Officer, Kooner Singh, has been working in close partnership with Derby Skillbuild to positively engage young people. These young people have had a negative experience of school and regular education, with many failing to attend or having personal barriers to learning.

In a bid to provide the individuals with an alternative outlook to education and learning, Derby Skillbuild provide informative and enjoyable taster sessions for young people to try and find a programme to suit them.

Referring the individuals to the Skillbuild provision and as part of the Youth Contract, Kooner takes the young people along to their interviews and inductions, as well as supporting with home visits to meet with those who fail to attend and need reengaging with a particular programme.

Working as an agent of support and a mentor for the individuals throughout their programme to address any issues, Kooner ensures they are settled and remain connected and involved, which has proved a success.

“It has helped me with my progression into further education and put a new dimension on my future plans”

Working in partnership with Derby Skillbuild

£420 was raised in total for the ‘Boiler Installed from Santa’ appeal. We thank all

those involved in this project.

The Hands Road play park in Heanor is now complete and ready for local families to enjoy!

The Deer Park School extension is still underway, with progress being made

following problematic ground conditions and drainage.

Crestra are on site at Grange Court, Grangewood, coverting a 2 storey common

room into 3 one bedroom town houses. They are also on site at Paisley Close, Staveley,

renovating a one bedroom bungalow and at 46 Heath Road, Holmewood, to convert a

property into 5 flats.

Project UpdatesThe construction of a score and store room at Treeton Cricket Club is almost complete.

Funding was provided by Sport England for improved facilities to be built.

The final stages of the project are underway, with the electronic score board being installed in the near future and steps to the upper score room shortly being fitted.

The facility will be opened during spring, in time for the Cricket season to begin.

Final touches at Treeton Cricket Club

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The annual Autumn Footprints Amber Valley & Erewash Walking Festival, set in the heart of picturesque Derbyshire, had 974 people take part during the 12th year Groundwork have coordinated the project. The 16 day festival of walks ran from Saturday 13th September to Sunday 28th September 2014 offering 40 walks of different distances, pace and themes. Most of the walk leaders were local volunteers, who provided their knowledge and enthusiasm that the walking festival would not have been possible without.

All the walks were free of charge, and took place in areas of local heritage and natural history interest, taking walkers alongside rivers and canals as well as through towns and villages. The walks were of varying lengths and gradient, ranging in length from one mile to twelve miles, offering something for everyone no matter what their interests or abilities.

The Walking Festival has proved to be very popular with both inexperienced and experienced walkers. The walks, led by volunteers and staff from over 20 organisations, took take place in Amber Valley and Erewash. These two areas are well known for their natural beauty, superb scenery, industrial heritage and attractive towns and villages.

Walking Festival Co-ordinator Marion Farrell from Groundwork said: “I am really pleased how well the festival has run again this year. It is a credit to our volunteer walk leaders. This

festival is a wonderful way to promote awareness of our public footpaths and bridleways through Amber Valley and Erewash. Walking in a group is not only good physical exercise but provides good mental stimulation too”.

This ever popular festival is jointly organised by Erewash Borough Council; Amber Valley Borough Council; Derbyshire County Council, several parish councils, community groups and Groundwork Creswell, Ashfield & Mansfield.

The Autumn Footprints Walking Festival 2015 shall run 12-27 September, further details shall be annouced later in the year.

Image provided by Garth Newton

Autumn Footprints Walking Festival 2014

Key Groundwork contacts...Trevor WittsManaging Director GCAM/Crestra Ltd

Specific enquiries to:

Caralynn Gale Education, Training and Skills

Gary SmithConstruction, Housing and Landscape

Lauren StrawMarketing, Community and Support

E-mail: creswell@groundwork.org.uk

Sites: www.groundwork.org.uk/creswell www.thewillowworks.co.uk

Follow us on Twitter: and Facebook

@GwkCres

facebook.com/ GroundworkCreswellAshfieldMansfield

Head office:96 Creswell RoadClowneChesterfieldDerbyshire S43 4NATel: 01246 570977Fax: 01246 813200

Bolsover Office:Unit 1 The Council Depot, Mill Lane, Off Oxcroft Lane, Bolsover, S44 6NPTel:01246 570977Fax: 01246 813200

Ripley office:Amber Vally BC OfficesTown Hall, Market PlaceRipley DE5 3BT Tel: 07866 678048 /07801 122494

Louth Office:Navigation WarehouseRiverhead Road, LouthLincolnshire LN11 0DATel: 01507 606710

Groundwork Staff Spotlight: Chris Godley, Assistant Contracts Manager

How did you come to work for Groundwork and when did you start?

I saw an advertisement on the Groundwork website which sounded interesting and involved similiar work to what I have done before, so I applied for the job, got it, and started on 6th January 2014!

During my first 12 months, I have really enjoyed working for the company as projects are very diverse and interesting!

What does your job involve?

My job involves the sourcing and project management of construction jobs Groundwork are involved in. I source the materials and ensure value for money and oversee a contract through to completion. This includes dealing with our clients on a daily basis and looking after our construction team and apprentices.

What is your favourite part of the job?

I like the variety of projects I am involved in and enjoy liasing with clients.

What do you hope to do in the future?

I hope to continue to help and develop the construction projects that Groundwork and Crestra undertake.

What do you like to do outside of work?

When I am not at work I like general outdoor activties, such as running and taking my dogs on walks.