The votes are in. The ballots have been counted – and the winners of this year’s Community Neighbourhood grants are...
Earlier this month the 75 winning projects for this year’s Community Assembly grant ballots were revealed after being voted by Newham’s Community Assemblies.
This year’s winners include a project to teach people to repair and up-cycle broken goods, a masterclass in the art of precision skill of barbering, and an allotment plan to make the best use of our valuable plots.
Each of Newham’s eight neighbourhood Assemblies were allocated £100,000 to spend on improving their area. Residents and community groups came together in May, and put forward a variety of exciting ideas on how to spend the money. Throughout July, residents voted on the projects they thought would most benefit their local community.
The Community Assembly project is going from strength to strength – so if you’ve got a great idea for your neighbourhood – get involved. To find out more go to: Newham Co-create Platform
Anyone who lives, works or learns in the Community Neighbourhood can take part.
Here are just some of the 75 successful projects who did just that.
Forest Gate: Let’s Repair project
Veronica Peters said: “Imagine a space where people from all corners of a community can meet and greet over repairing an item that would normally be discarded. Imagine a program that invites all people of skill including pensioners, asylum seekers, and refugees, anyone who is willing to share their knowledge and help meet and make friends. Imagine buying something once and making it sustainable to last a long time.
“Imagine decreasing fly tipping on the streets simply by getting things fixed. Imagine teaching people such as teenagers and residents with additional needs how to fix things and then to use this as a stepping-stone for a career.
This is what ‘Let’s Repair’ is. A space where the people of Forest Gate can repair items and create opportunities for the future.”
Custom House & Canning Town: Barber Connect project
King Ogunremi said : “As a father and a barber, who has lived and worked in Newham for 17 years, the grant awarded for the Barber Connect Project, will enable me to make a huge difference in my neighbourhood. The project will offer young people, who aren’t engaged in the school system, with opportunities to learn a skill and to possibly earn as they work in order to keep them motivated. My goal is to introduce as many young teenagers as possible to barbering and to show them how I have managed to build a successful business through cutting hair.”
Green Street grant winner Sree Narayan Guru Mission: Wildflower Areas to Connect People with Nature
Sarasan Viswambharan spokesperson from Sree Narayan Guru Mission said: “People living in inner-city high density housing areas have very little contact with the natural world and wildlife. By creating wildflower areas, the landscape will attract other biodiversity such as bees, other insects, and birds. Recent research proved that people’s wellbeing can be profoundly improved by being close to nature and wildlife.
“This project by the Sree Narayan Guru Mission of the UK will benefit all age groups from small children to older adults. The landscape improvement of Priory Park using wildflowers will help the local community to get directly involved in improving and maintaining the space and take ownership. This will also lead to repeat visits to spend quality time and improve their wellbeing.”
East Ham - Folkstone Road Allotment Accessible Community Garden
Paul Sammut from Folkestone Road Allotment Association; “Folkestone Road Allotment Accessible Garden project will make gardening and food produce more accessible for the community. We plan to offer the plots to current plot holders who can no longer manage a full allotment plot. This concept is called ‘mini plots’ and will help plot holders to maintain their passion for gardening, as gardening is a form of therapy, and it encourages community cohesion. We’ll harvest and share produce from the garden; and build a communal greenhouse to allow new plot holders to grow food from seeds to pick and eat from.
