On The Ground Summer 2012

News from Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale - Summer 2012 - Issue 7

N-Dubz Fazer In Rochdale

SCHOOLHARVEST

OPERATION GROUNDWORK

ACCREDITED TRAINING

I n s i d eFazer visits Rochdale BMX trackFazer needs your vote for Transform Your Patch

Operation GroundworkYour support needed for Boarshaw Clough

Accredited training at GroundworkIncrease your skills and qualifications

Beever pupils get new groundsOur landscape team create new learning space

Volunteers visit Sculpture ParkOur graduate volunteers visit YSP

Autumn Prince’s Trust start datesTeams starting in Middleton, Oldham and Rochdale

We l c o m eA very warm welcome to all readers of the latest issue of our newsletter.

I have been privileged to have worked within a great team at Groundwork for 5 years now and every single week brings new stories of success, achievement

and of lives changed through having worked with members of the staff team.

If we have already helped you, please share your experiences with others. If not, yet, then may I suggest that you look at the images and the smiles, enjoyment, commitment and concentration that most of them contain. These are genuine photographs, not ones fabricated for the sake of the camera or this newsletter. Then please, look at the text behind the pictures and consider if there is any way that we might be able to help you – or if you could help us to do more of what we do.

Enjoy your reading.

Cliff EllisonExecutive Director

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2 Groundwork Oldham & RochdaleOn The Ground | Summer 2012

This image

and front page -

we’ve been helping

to establish school

allotments and

teach food

growing.

Groundwork Prince’s TrustTeam complete their community project in the grounds

of St. Herbert’s, Chadderton.

Rochdale growers

visit Offshoots

Permaculture Project

in Burnley to learn

about food growing

and bees.

C a n y o u s u p p o r t O p e r a t i o n G ro u n d w o r k ?A call has gone out for cash and volunteers to help change places and change lives in Middleton. Boarshaw Clough is one of 30 projects around the country to feature in a major campaign by Groundwork as part of our nation-wide 30th birthday.

Operation Groundwork is showcasing our work in communities across the UK. Both members of the public and businesses are invited to donate money or time as volunteers to help with valuable improvements to Boarshaw Clough in Middleton.

Boarshaw Clough is a five-acre site of native trees and shrubs, a footpath network, a small river system and lodge. The site comprises a close mown recreational area, water habitat, semi-mature woodland and wildflower areas. The Clough is a former centre for mining, cloth production and more recently industrial waste disposal. It was landscaped in the 1970s and saved from development in 1995. It is now used for recreation by young people, walkers, dog walkers, runners and anglers. Groundwork, which owns part of the site, delivers employment, training and volunteering programmes within the Clough.

Joanna Fullman, Education & Community Officer at Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale, said: “The message behind Operation Groundwork is that local people and organisations have an important role to play in making streets, parks and neighbourhoods greener places to live. Extra money or donations from corporate supporters will pay for path improvements, new signage and woodland management services while volunteers will gain new skills, develop team spirit and gain satisfaction from helping to improve their local environment.”

To support the project please visit... http://www.operationgroundwork.org.uk/support-a-project/boarshaw-clough-middleton

3Groundwork Oldham & RochdaleOn The Ground | Summer 2012

F a z e r v i s i t s R o c h d a l e B M X t r a c k t o h e l p d r u m u p v o t e s

N-Dubz star Fazer recently visited Mandale Park in Rochdale to promote the Transform Your Patch funding scheme of which he is an ambassador. With enough public votes, Transform Your Patch could potentially fund the re-generation of the former BMX track, creating a new urban bike park for cyclists of all ages and abilities.

The hip hop artist met with Groundwork staff, local riders and representatives from IMBA and Rochdale Council. The Mandale Park plans include re-building the old BMX track and the creation of a brand new pump track.

To get the funding we need to get votes, please vote for Mandale Park here…http://www.transformyourpatch.com/vote/details/mandale-park-bmx


If you need to increase your skills and qualifications then we have a number of exciting courses that you may find useful. Whether it’s to help you into work or to keep you busy for a few weeks, our accredited courses are designed to help people increase their skills, confidence and personal potential. We aim to provide learning opportunities in an environment that allows individuals to meet new people and have fun. Here’s what we’ve got coming up...

G e t o n c o u r s e f o r a c c re d i t e d t r a i n i n g

P r a c t i c a l C o u n t r y s i d e S k i l l s C o u r s e

Learn a range of conservation skills whilst gaining an accredited qualification and helping to improve a local nature site. This course teaches about wildlife, habitats and the work involved in managing a nature site. If you want to get outdoors, meet new people and help to enhance the local environment then this course is for you.

G ro u n d w o r k P r i n c e ’s Tr u s t Te a m P ro g r a m m e

The Team programme is a life changing personal development course for young people aged 16-25. Team members take part in work experience, qualifications, practical skills, community projects and an exciting residential week. More than 70% of unemployed participants go on to jobs, training or education within three months of completing this course.


For more details and course bookings visit the Events page at www.gwor.org.uk or contact John Davies; [email protected] or call 0161 624 1444.

Vo l u n t e e r P ro j e c t A s s i s t a n t ( V PA ) P ro g r a m m e

Groundwork has been providing graduates with relevevant work experience in the environmental/regeneration sector since 1991. Our successful VPA programme gives people real project management experience, accredited qualifications and plenty of opportunities to network. We’ve also recently supported VPA’s in other local organisations.

C o m m u n i t y Vo l u n t e e r i n g C o u r s e

Learn new skills, increase your experience and make a difference to your local area. As part of the course you’ll be involved in community development, physical improvement work, event planning and environmental activities. Meet new people and have fun whilst working towards a nationally recognised Level 1 Certificate in Community Volunteering.

B u i l d i n g C r a f t O c c u p a t i o n s C o u r s e

The BCO course teaches the basics in plastering, joinery, plumbing, decorating and brickwork. Participants learn how to handle and store construction materials, and how to cut, lay, set and fix a range of construction components. As part of the course learners work towards recognised qualifications as well as gaining a CSCS card.

Wo r k S k i l l s C o u r s e

If you’re struggling to find work this short course will give you some tips and tricks to keep you ahead of others the next time you apply for a job. Whatever your chosen career path, the Work Skills course will give you new skills and understanding for the world of work. Learners work towards the Edexcel BTEC Level 1 Award in Work Skills.


B e e v e r p u p i l s g e t g ro u n d s f o r l e a r n i n gA new outdoor learning area has been created at Beever Primary School by our landscape design and contracts team. An amphitheatre, native trees, seating and raised planters have been installed with new footpaths now linking different areas of the school grounds. The land has been transformed from a redundant grass banking into a multi-purpose outdoor space.

Greg Oates, head-teacher at Beever Primary School, said: “We are delighted with the work Groundwork have done in transforming our school grounds. The outdoor environment for our pupils has been transformed, and with the addition of the nature garden, funded by the National Lottery, we can extend the learning opportunities for our pupils outside of the classroom.”

The scheme is the second of three ground improvement projects being carried out by Groundwork at Beever Primary. The first phase saw the creation of a wetland area and bog garden and the final phase will improve the drainage of the playing fields, directing water to the wetland area. Keep checking on our website and Twitter page for more news over the coming months.

Vo l u n t e e r s v i s i t S c u l p t u re P a r kRecently our Volunteer Project Assistant (VPA) team ventured over the Pennines to Yorkshire Sculpture Park for a team building day out. The group very much enjoyed the cakes they had to offer in the YSP cafe and of course the sculptures were great too.

The team are mid way through their placements with Groundwork and are working on a wide range of projects. One of the team, Joanne, is doing a great job on the VPA Blog so if you would like to find out more about our VPA programme and see some of the other images from their YSP visit check out the blog... http://groundworkvpa.wordpress.com/


N e w s i n B r i e f

A u t u m n P r i n c e ’s Tr u s t S t a r t D a t e s

We want to help as many young people as possible to reach their potential and find a path in life. Our inspiring Prince’s Trust Team programme is a 12-week personal development course for 16-25 year olds. This autumn we’ve got Teams staring in Middleton (22/10/12), Oldham (03/09/12 and 01/10/12) and Rochdale (17/09/12 and 05/11/12).

S u n d a y S e s s i o n s i n S h a w & C ro m p t o n

An Introduction to Bushcraft event at Jubilee Nature Site kicked off a series of ten free public events in Shaw and Crompton. These monthly sessions aim to connect people to their environment and encourage all ages to use their local green spaces. Upcoming events include Footpath Works off Valley Drive (12/08/12), Bulb Planting at High Crompton Park (09/09/12) and Family Fun in the Woods at Dunwood Park (14/10/12). For more details contact Suzanne; [email protected] or call 0161 624 1444.

Vo c a t i o n a l Te a m E x p a n s i o n

Our recent work combining support for local unemployed people with the refurbishment of redundant homes has been given boost thanks to the Empty Homes Community Fund. Over the next 3 years Groundwork will partner Rochdale Boroughwide Housing and Rochdale Council to bring back in to use some 16 homes whilst training around 64 unemployed people.

G ro u n d w o r k g a i n s I S O 1 4 0 0 1

We’ve recently been awarded an internationally recognised environmental certificate. Following an external audit of our environmental management system we were delighted to hear that we had achieved ISO 14001 accreditation. ISO 14001 is an internationally recognised standard for the environmental management of businesses. It prescribes controls for those activities that have an effect on the environment. These include the use of natural resources, handling and treatment of waste and energy consumption.

G ro u n d w o r k h e l p s t o e x p a n d c a m p i n g o n M o o r l a n d s

There are more opportunities for camping on the moorlands above Saddleworth thanks to new facilities at Moorlands Caravan & Camping Park. Moorlands sought the services of Groundwork to help with the planning application, design and management of the project. Significant bands of native trees including oak and birch have been planted in and around the new site to create an attractive environment for visitors.

Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale helps people and organisations make changes in order to create better neighbourhoods, to build skills and job prospects, and to live and work in a greener way. We’re a registered charity with over 25 years of experience working with partners to deliver successful projects in the Oldham and Rochdale area.

Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale, Environment Centre, Shaw Road, Higginshaw, Oldham OL1 4AW

Charity number: 514726Company number: 01762088

Cliff EllisonExecutive [email protected]

Teresa JenningsOperations Director [email protected]

David MalsomCommercial Business Manager [email protected]

Phil TreatonLand & Design Manager [email protected]

Rob GlennWork & Employability Manager [email protected]

John DaviesYouth & Communities Manager [email protected]

On The Ground | Summer 2012

This newsletter was produced in-house at Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale. Thank you to all contributors.

C o n t a c t U sGive us a call - 0161 624 1444

Visit our website - www.gwor.org.uk

Connect on Facebook - GroundworkOldhamRochdale

Follow us on Twitter - GroundworkOR

View pictures on Flickr - GroundworkOR

Watch videos on YouTube - GWOR30

Landscape InstituteRegistered practice

On The Ground Summer 2012

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