Story and photo by Richard Belbin
The Fir Vale community development team, funded by the Department for Communities & Local Government, has taken shape, with the new workers all in post.
I met community development worker Patrick Moran at the Fir Vale Food Bank, at St. Cuthbert’s church, where the team regularly volunteer, helping provide food, advice and even English lessons to around fifty people.
“It’s really good to do this every week, you meet so many people from all across the community.”
Alongside his colleagues Yasmin Iqbal and Nicola White, Patrick hopes the team will be going out, supporting projects and volunteering with them to help build their skills and capacities.
“Now we are in post we are getting involved and finding out what is going on in the community. We have been out and about all over the area, meeting with residents, local businesses, schools, the Roma Network, health visitors and groups at Fir Vale Community Hub.”
“We want to set up a Community Action group – online and offline – that can come together to help each other out and share knowledge and ideas.”
The community wardens have taken up their roles too, and are busy and advising people on how to look after their neighbourhood, as well as the less pleasant task of issuing penalties for things such as littering, or disposing of rubbish and other unsuitable materials in back yard fires.
If you are interested in seeing improvements made in Page Hall and Grimesthorpe, get in touch with the team by emailing patrick@scidteam.net or calling 07904 163 331.
