Presentation.

Mr George Thomas of Beechwood Community Trust gave a presentation to Members.

He referred to the North West in Bloom Competition 2018 and thanked the many residents and organisations who had provided floral arrangements.  He advised that 31 of these had been entered into the competition.

Mr Thomas notified Members about Big Local which was a Big Lottery Fund national initiative.  It involved bringing together local people, talent, ambitions, ideas, skills, assets and energy into the area to inspire community action.  A part of the Beechwood Estate, the Ballantyne Estate and Bidston Village had been selected as a Big Local area.  He reported that the funding was a charitable endowment of £1m to be spent over 10 years and that an independent organisation called Local Trust had been set up to help local areas decide how to spend their allocations.

Members were advised that local people and stakeholders had developed a Big Local Plan and that there had been a number of positive outcomes including drawing external funds to Birkenhead, improving the environment, involving schools, supporting numerous environmental pledges and it was also a platform for volunteer groups and a target to work towards.

Angela Murphy, Chief Executive, Tomorrow’s Women addressed the Committee.  She advised that Tomorrow’s Women was a charity for women over 18 who wanted to make positive lifestyle changes and that over 180 agencies had been involved and formulated a timetable of activities.  Six thousand women had registered who had come from referrals through GPs, Police or because they had heard about the charity and about 160 women a day attended.  She informed Members that they had moved into St Lawrence’s in 2012 and further to receiving funding a plan had been drawn and the area had been transformed which was now an additional learning space for horticulture.  Ms Murphy was proud to announce that the Charity had been nominated to put their garden forward for the North West in Bloom competition.

John Booth from Oxton addressed the Committee and advised that initially 14 hanging baskets had been installed on lampposts in Oxton and an additional 7 had been provided by the Council.  The baskets had been maintained by a team of five volunteers, there were 40 baskets in 2009 and 42 baskets in 2010.  During 2012/13 it had become increasingly difficult to water the baskets therefore a self-watering system had been devised.  An attempt had been made to replicate this in Claughton however this had not been viable therefore artificial plants had been installed.

Eve Openshaw addressed the Committee and advised that she was the founder of ‘Wezzy Gardens’.  She explained that she had initially approached the Constituency Committee in respect of a grot spot and after further research had found out that the area was owned by Liverpool Housing Trust which then led her to work closely with a number of groups.  She advised Members that Westbourne Road had a high crime rate and antisocial behaviour but that this had since reduced.  She advised that the garden had opened in August which was a safe haven and promoted health and wellbeing as well as social skills which had led her to undertake courses and gain qualifications.  This had brought communities together and had been entered into the Britain in Bloom competition.  She reported that Westbourne Gardens was self-funded and they relied on donations and recycled items from skips.

Sheila Henry, Woodlands Park addressed the Committee and reported that a partnership had been set up by the Police with the Council as women and children had been suffering racial abuse in the area.  Funding had been received from Birkenhead Constituency and YMCA and a fun day had taken place on 21 July 2018 where communities came together for a day of entertainment.  She thanked Birkenhead Constituency for providing money for the community to work in partnership.

Richard Barley, Environmental Services Manager, Onward Housing gave a presentation to Members.  He advised that Beechwood had created an idea to renovate the area with a new ‘mediterranian’ look.  He advised that a boat had been upcycled from Thurstaston beach which had been sanded, painted and filled with flowers.  Other improvements in the area included hanging baskets and three tier planting boxes that had been planted outside local shops and wild flowers that had been planted on grot spots.  He advised that support and funding was available for an environment group which would hopefully be starting.

Alison Bailey-Smith, Williamson Art Gallery addressed the Committee and advised that the gallery had been refurbished a few years ago however a garden had now been developed which had been launched at the end of June.  This was previously a large courtyard which had been disused and overgrown with weeds which had been transformed into a landscaped courtyard.  She advised that the next step would be to raise money to install lighting in order that the area may be used at night and could be an outside exhibition space.

RESOLVED:

That all representatives be thanked for their presentations to the meeting and for their work in the Birkenhead in Bloom project.