Village Green


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Willenhall Village Green [The start]

Whilst walk passed the vacant plot between the Hagard and the new Health Centre I wondered if it would be possible to have a 'Village Green' on the site. Councillors and officials went a strange white colour at the suggestion, due to the legal problems that a Village Green would bring.

So you get an idea!, but find the money, get planning permission, get permission to use the lay [lease] and you have little problems, like three different council departments needing different leases and not allowing any form of sign, which if your getting money from a donator [BTCV in this case] you need to show who's put the money into the project

What would you like to see on the

village green?

Write your ideas down and hand them in

NAME ………………………………………., AGE…………………….

CAN YOU HELP?

We are looking for members of the community to help with the planting and on going maintenance of the Village Green, this can be just a couple of hours a month.

If you are willing to help make a different, please let us know

NAME ………………………………………., Contact details………………………………………

Just a few of the questions asked about the project and the answers given

How will the project benefit the community?

Willenhall at present has no central focal point were people can meeting in the open air and small events could be held. By including the schools in the project, an ongoing educational central point will become established for all four schools and it is hoped that all ages will come together to turn the area into a pleasant meeting point.

How will the project benefit the environment?

The environment will be improved by the planting of bushes and perennial flowers which attract wildlife. The present seating will be added too and improved with additional waste bins. By preventing motor vehicles encroaching on the grassed area, improved pedestrian safely

What evidence do you have that the community/area is deprived and/or that disadvantaged groups will benefit from this project?

Willenhall is within the European Regeneration Zone for funding

How will you maintain and develop the project after the award ends?

The area will be maintained by English Landscapes and volunteers from the community, with schools looking after their own areas.

What community consultation have you carried out and plan to do in the future?

The idea has been raised at meetings of the Willenhall Residents Association, the Thursday Pensioners Club, and a question sheet posted in the local free newspaper, the youth has been approached at the Youth Festival on Saturday 20^th March. A exhibit is on display at Weetc, with question sheets.

What support from the local community do you have for the project?

Support for the project has come from Focus Housing, The Willenhall Community Forum, Local Councillors, and residents and tenants of the area attending meetings.

If the project will be of particular relevance to disabled people, then estimations of numbers are needed for the following categories: visual impairments, hearing, wheelchair users, limited mobility, learning difficulties and 'other'.

It is planned that the garden will be set out in three of the four senses, [not including Taste due to H&E concerns]. Access will be planned for wheelchair users and those with mobility problems, also

You need to do similar for ethnic groups: white: British, Irish, other black: African, Caribbean, other Asian: Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, other Chinese any other group

Willenhall is a fully integrated area, with all nationalities and religions; therefore, the planned Willenhall Village Green will be for all.

Just to remind you what we started from

lots of problems with rubbish, dangerous [possible] LIVE electrical wires and glass etc

Getting the pathway worked out

So the day came to get the pathway in place, good job that a local business can up trumps as local volunteers are hard to find

The first 'SOD'

OK its time for the BIG boys to start playing

At lest I got someone to help me

The next moring work started very early, and even the boss found the shovel

Without the help from this man Willenhall would not have had a pathway or villahe green BIG thanks MIKE

We even got our own pin up !

Opps next time a sheet underneath ?

Now all we need is some tools plants and people

Children from St John the Divine school with Katrina carrying out a large part of the planting, not only their

school, s plot but the other three schools as well,. All schools were invited to plant their own plot

Neighbourhood Wardens lent a hand

And for those who helped prizes donated by Mc Donalds

Remember this picture

SO what we need is some water, thanks go to the Binley Fire Station and their crews who answered our call

MORE PLANTS A total of approx £2,400,s worth of plants go in, can you guess how many will be left within 6 months [someone said 6 hours but I have more faith in people!]