Shirehampton Community Action Forum (SCAF) was initiated by Shirehampton Public Hall
Community Association, at a meeting held on 22 October 2001. The Forum was set up to
address the issues raised in a Community Profile of Shirehampton, commissioned by the Hall
Association, with funding from Bristol City Council, which was published in January 2001.
The Forum would address these issues by strengthening ties and building partnership
working between statutory agencies, private enterprise, and voluntary and community groups
in Shirehampton.
Since its inception, the Forum has operated as an
offshoot of the Public Hall Association, which has provided administrative and management
support. However, from the outset, it was hoped that in due course the Forum would become
an independent organisation, with its own management and finances. This hope is about to
be realised. This document briefly reviews the current position, and sets out the Plan for
the Forum’s first year as an independent body.
At the inaugural meeting, the Forum agreed aims
and objectives. These are very similar to those set out below for the coming year. The
Forum also set up 3 Action Groups, covering Youth Support, Community Safety, and Housing.
These have continued throughout the year. They have subsequently been joined by
Shirehampton Greens, covering environmental issues, and by a Development Group, which has
been planning the future structure of the organisation.
A growing number of partner organisations have
contributed to the work of each of the Groups, and to the Forum as a whole (Appendix A).
18 organisations have been represented at at least one Forum meeting, and 37 organisations
have participated in one or more of the Groups. The Groups have met regularly during 2002.
Their activities have been reported to the Forum itself, which has met 9 times. The Forum
has provided very valuable links between the Groups, to ensure that their work is mutually
complementary.
The Forum and the Action Groups have covered a
wide range of activities in the first year. These include:
· Small scale opinion survey on community safety
concerns completed
· On-going support for Youth Café proposal
· Large scale Questionnaire of young people’s
concerns and needs completed
· Liaison between police and local groups on crime
patterns set up
· Publicity on truancy and liaison between local
businesses and Portway Community School on truancy policy set up
· Increased local awareness of use of Crimestoppers
for low level crime and anti-social behaviour
· Drop-in sessions for local residents to meet
representatives from BCC Area Housing Office, Housing Associations (Guinness Trust,
Knightstone & United), Police and local councillors set up on a regular basis
· Youth Shelter options explored
· Publicity given to assist recruitment of special
constables
· ‘Daisy Field’ identified as site for
possible Community Park
· Improved liaison between City Council and Housing
Associations on anti-social behaviour policies
· Improved links and communication between Police,
BCC Area Housing Office & The Housing Associations to deal with tenant issues and
problems (particularly on The Ridge)
· Feasibility of CCTV and Radio Net security systems
for High Street area ongoing investigation – linked with Broadmead Manager &
Security Teams
· Made links with Barton Hill Community At Heart
Project – re tenant participation
· Consultation on Road Safety improvements in High
Street
· Consultation on Bristol Health Services Plan
· Contributed to the Commission on Local Governance
· Consultation on the future of Portway Community School
· Disseminate information on a number of key local
services and organisations e.g Avon University Settlement (Advice & Info services),
Carers Networks, SHAWL (Local Lifelong Learning Courses & Venues), Severn Four Credit
Union
· Used as a contact point for information about local
organisations and services
· Established Database listing all local contacts and
organisations (currently 128 entries)
· Contributed to the wider North Bristol Network of
organisations working within the field of Community Regeneration & Neighbourhood
Renewal (BCC, VOSCUR etc)
· Significantly raised the profile of Shirehampton
within Bristol City Council, Funders etc
· Kept the community informed and involved with
SCAF’s work through monthly articles in “Shire”
(Local newspaper)
· Identified funding (£1K) for transport costs for
Penpole Tenants Association luncheon Club
· Organised with Shire Traders Association a
“Shop Locally” poster campaign over Christmas
· The Forum welcomed the increased police resource in
Shirehampton and the reduction in crime figures which followed this
· Organised the Great Shire Youth Litterthon ---
Portway School student volunteers – Litterpick and fun day (in response to the pupils
concern over litter expressed in the Student Questionnaire)
· Participated in consultation with City on plans for
Lamplighters Marsh
· Liaised with the local Health Centre – who
identified the need for parenting courses -
obtained support and funding from members of SCAF to run 4 full courses
· Established basic structure and rules of new
independent organisation, to provide a basis for the development of the Forum
· Recruited a body of Trustees for the new
organisation from a broad cross-section of local interests
The Hall Association has received grants on behalf of the Forum, from Bristol City Council, the Greater Bristol Foundation, and Churngold. This has enabled us to employ Ash Bearman as a part-time Community Development Officer, to support the work of the Forum and of the Action Groups. The success of the Forum is in no small measure due to Ash’s skills and enthusiasm. In addition, the Churngold and Bristol CC Sustainable Neighbourhood grants have enabled us to appoint Richard Fletcher as a part-time Project Development Worker, from December 2002, to support Shirehampton Greens.