Local partnership wins national award
News from our partners Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing
A local partnership in Bridgnorth is celebrating after winning a national award at a recent ceremony in Westminster, London.
Bridgnorth West & Tasley Partnership took first prize for the Compact Engagement category at the National Compact Voice awards, for their Tasley Close enhancements and community garden project.
The Bridgnorth West & Tasley Partnership was set up to look at resolving anti-social behaviour and minor neighbour disputes, and agreed a plan of action with residents to make the close a more pleasant and attractive place to live.
The partnership includes Tasley Close residents, Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing, local social landlords, Circle Support, Veolia, St Leonard’s Primary School, Shropshire Council’s community action team and positive activity team, Bridgnorth Town Council, Tasley Parish Council, West Mercia Police and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.
The group undertook a wide range of work with the Tasley Close community which included community clean up days, a series of drop in events on the estate, an art competition with the local primary school, a hyper-local website, and the formation of a gardening committee to design, create and maintain new garden areas.
The result has seen the transformation of this area into an attractive, friendly place to live.
The Tasley Close enhancements and community garden project have led to improvements to the housing blocks, including their renaming by residents, construction of a new car park area and bin store, and a bespoke local lettings policy. Most successful has been the establishment of the community garden, which has been entered into both the 2012 and 2013 Bridgnorth in Bloom competitions, where a special recognition was received from the Royal Horticultural Society.
Les Winwood, a local Shropshire Councillor for Bridgnorth West and Tasley, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded this prestigious accolade. This is a fantastic endorsement, and a testament to the hard work of the partnership, which truly illustrates how, by working together, we can make a huge difference to local communities and residents’ lives.
“The Tasley Close enhancements and community garden project has really turned this neighbourhood around and made it a vibrant and flourishing community, and a great place for adults and families to live in now and for future generations to come.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their dedication over the years, and let’s make the most of this to celebrate what we’ve achieved. We would also like to thank Rob Francis from OPM who collected this award on our behalf.”
John Hurst-Knight, also a local Shropshire Councillor for Bridgnorth West and Tasley, said:
“Winning this fantastic award illustrates that real improvements can be made in local communities when organisations and residents work closely together.
“The Compact Engagement Award gives recognition to the dedication and commitment of the Bridgnorth West & Tasley Partnership, and the amount of time and effort put in by the partnership to make their local communities better places to live: well done to everyone.”
Sue Adams, Managing Director at Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing, commented:
“This is great news. The Compact Engagement award is a wonderful recognition of the work Bridgnorth West & Tasley Partnership have done to enhance Tasley Close and its local community. One of Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing’s key objectives is to make our neighbourhoods vibrant, safe, active and healthy, and places people choose to live. The Tasley Close enhancements and community garden project has created a cohesive community where people want to live, stay and get more and more involved in the management and future development of their community.”
The Tasley Close enhancements and community garden project is one of several ongoing community projects the partnership have worked on to enhance the Bridgnorth West and Tasley area for local residents.
For more information about the project call Tom Brettell, Shropshire Council’s senior community action officer, on 01746 713209.
Further information
Compact Voice works to ensure that strong, effective partnerships are at the heart of all relationships between the voluntary sector and government – locally and nationally.
The Compact Awards are designed to celebrate and showcase the most outstanding Compact working across England. Award winners were chosen from groups, individuals, organisations and activities which highlight and demonstrate the very best of Compact working.
The Compact Awards ceremony was attended by over 100 guests, and hosted by Simon Blake OBE, Chair of Compact Voice, and Nick Hurd MP, Minister for Civil Society.
Nominations came from the voluntary and community sector, from local/central government and from right across England – from the north east to the south west. All the shortlisted nominations are underpinned by the principles of the national Compact: now in its 15th year, it continues as the basis for partnerships across all sectors.
The 2013 award categories:
- Compact Advancing Equality Award
- Compact Engagement Award
- Compact Impact Award
- Compact Innovation Award
- Compact Leadership Award
- Local Compact Partnership Award
- Compact Chair’s Award
