See NewsMill article 'Community Providence'. Statement
by Jane Forshaw to 'Providence 2 the Future' meeting
At the beginning of 2001 we are meeting together to plan for real. Thanks to Awards for All, whose award of £4.980 has been crucial in facilitating our progress so far.
This Church was conceived 200 years ago by a group of people who believed they had something to offer the community - they had little money - but much faith, foresight, ambition, dedication. An extract from New Mills History Notes No 12 says "to save expense, Thomas Steele's followers determined on building the chapel themselves and .... went down to the riverside: Women carried stones in their aprons and the men in wheelbarrows from the river with which to build the Church." And that in order to save money! I can safely speak for all of us when I say that we will not be carrying stones up from the Sett. We may not be prepared to do that for our new building but our commitment is no less than their's. In 1832 Providence fulfilled a need in the community. About a hundred years later this extension in which you are standing was built. It was used every day of the week, it was used for sports, for children's parties for pantomimes, for opera groups, for social events, for education. People met their husbands and wives here, they brought their children here. It was for many people all those years ago the centre of their social universe. We now live a very different life in the year 2001 and we need to offer facilities that reflect the changing needs. There aren't fewer people in New Mills, there aren't fewer people needing resources, there are more, but they need different ones, the premises need to be accessible for all, they need to be warm comfortable and welcoming.
We feel the way forward for our Church is to open it up for community use - we want it to be busy 7 days a week, every day all day, just as it was when our forbears built this hall 95 years ago. The accommodation is inappropriate for the 21st Century and the heating system has a better future with the Museum of Science and Industry. Instead of giving the building a facelift, cosmetic surgery, we decided on radical action, undertook a Feasibility Study conducted by an architect who assured us that the building was sound and envisage using the space we have differently, making it a multi-purpose building for the people of New Mills. We already have a newly decorated and furnished coffee lounge and an office, which when in the near future will be up and running, will be extremely well equipped. Our building will also have a lift so that all floors are accessible, and kitchens we can be proud of. We will keep such wonderful assets as our magnificent organ and the pulpit, but with great heartache will have to part with the pews.
On this Planning for Real day you can see before you the plans of what we would like the building to look like, of the dream fulfilled. We have a model, we have architects drawings, there are pictures of the town and countryside of this beautiful place we are fortunate enough to live in. We hope that our dream wiII add to the community, making New Mills a better place to live in. Thank you and now I am going to hand you over to Diane from Neighbourhood Initiatives who will explain to you exactly what 'Planning For Real' is. Jane Forshaw, Tel 01663 745371. "Planning for Real" is an eye-catching, "hands-on" method which people use to sort out what needs to be done to improve their neighbourhood. Working out what is best for the neighbourhood depends on bringing together several kinds of expert knowledge. On one side there are planners, architects, housing officers, economic development workers, drawn from the local authority and from specialist agencies such as police. On the other are the residents. Each sees neighbourhood needs in different ways, though everyone shares the same common ground - the place itself, warts and all. Part of the problem in working things out together is to bridge the language gap and break down barriers. Some specialists can understand each other's jargon, and save time by talking to each other in a kind of shorthand. At formal public meetings, intended for consultation, they tend to take centre stage, and hardly anyone else gets a word in edgeways. Officials go away with only a glimmering of what matters to the residents. The residents write the whole thing off as a waste of time. Few think it worth taking things further. "Planning for Real" was devised by us as an answer to this problem.
Using our kit, local people make a big 3D model of their own neighbourhood, on a scale large enough to identify their own front door. Moving around the model, taking a bird's eye view of it, people can see possibilities they hadn't previously thought of. We provide option cards over 300, including possibilities such as shrubs, double glazing, pelican crossings, doctors surgery and play areas. People can arrange and re-arrange these option cards to show what is needed, and explore different ways of getting what is wanted. Most people coming fresh to "Planning for Real", whether they are residents or professionals, expect the strongest personalities to dominate, and that different factions will form and fight to the last. However, compromise
and consensus become easier, not least because everyone's line of
vision converges on the subject matter - the model itself - allowing
for practical ways of non-threatening communication and participation.
There's less scope for face-to-face confrontation. Once an option
card is laid on the model it becomes anonymous. It has no personality
attached to it, as can happen when someone speaks up at a meeting.
Of course there is a buzz of conversation, but it mainly consists
of people comparing ideas about possibilities, in a non-committal
way which allows anyone to have second thoughts, or third thoughts,
without losing face. We find that sections of the community not often
involved in consultation will put forward The first use of "Planning for Real" was in 1977 in Dalmarnock, East Glasgow, at a time when the "Us versus Them" conflicts at public meetings often came to blows. The residents' group knew of our 3D role-play packs, which offer people a chance to consider various fictitious situations. In Dalmarnock however, residents were not content to pretend. They wanted a 3D model of Dalmarnock itself so that by working with it they could identify problems, possibilities, priorities - "for real" - and "Planning for Real" was born. Since its beginnings
in 1977 "Planning for Real" has grown and evolved considerably.
Although the basic concept is very simple, we have I When used fully, "Planning for Real" is a complete process of community involvement. It can be applied to anything from usage of a small patch of land to strategic planning; in both urban and rural areas; to consult over a range of issues, including community facilities, community safety, economic regeneration, environmental improvements, health, housing issues, identification of local skills and training needs, LA21, leisure, parks, town centre regeneration, traffic management and usage of local buildings (new and existing).
For more information, please contact: The Neighbourhood
Initiatives Foundation, "Planning for Real" is a registered trademark of The Neighbourhood Initiatives Foundation. Organisations wishing to run exercises described as "Planning for Real" events, provide "Planning for Real" training or to advertise themselves as users of a "Planning for Real" approach should first contact the Foundation to discuss using the technique to its full effect and to obtain permission for the use of the trade mark.
|
|||
.jpg)
This
is such an exciting day. At the beginning of the year 2000 all the
members of the Church met together to discuss a dream. A small group
of us then began to organise work on turning the dream into reality..jpg)
Welcome
to all of you who have come here today to see our future. Those of
us with name badges on are only too happy to talk to you afterwards
and answer any questions you have. We hope that all of you and the
organisations you represent will share at least part of our dream
and through '.jpg)
.jpg)
Since
we have had our new Minister we have had the inspiration and leadership
to move forward. Reverend Jane Barron was ordained here at Providence
only 18 months ago, before this she was a speech therapist at Withington
Hospital. She now has the mammoth task of looking after the 3 Churches
which combine to make The Goyt Valley pastorate. At her ordination
and induction here Reverend Jane said 'I want the Goyt Valley Pastorate
to make a difference.' This project supported by all three congregations
will make a difference. We enjoy a lively and growing congregation
who are very supportive in all that we are trying to do. We will continue
to be a centre for worship but will also become a place of service..jpg)
The
'Planning for Real Initiative' will lead to a report of community
need as expressed by the people of New Mills, both residents and professionals.
The report will be used to support applications to major grant-making
bodies..jpg)
.jpg)
