16/10/20
Local groups are still active and working hard to keep communities safe, providing support to others and helping to maintain community spirit during challenging times. We would like to thank all volunteers, who are doing a marvellous job. Here is a summary of their recent activities by area.
Topping Fold TRA continue to distribute food parcels every Thursday from Topping Fold Community Centre. They have also been supporting vulnerable tenants helping clear their flats, applying for benefits and sourcing furniture. Over the summer they helped organise guided walks to help people keep active and well.
Seedfield TRA have been doing some bulb planting to bring splashes of colour in the spring and are planning a clean up day in November.
Chesham Fold TRA continue to distribute food parcels to those in need and in financial hardship. The community centre was recently broken into with lots of damage to doors and equipment. However this has not stopped them carrying on. Their community café at the centre has re-opened selling hot food and drinks. The café is open Tuesday to Friday 9am to 1pm. They are also still running the baby bank to help parents out with essential items for their babies and young children.
A wall has been added by Six Town Housing to completely separate the café from the community centre’s main function area, with different entrances. This has enabled Bury Council to set up a Covid-19 test centre within the function room to support people living locally, following negotiations by Six Town Housing on behalf of the TRA. This has enabled the café to continue to remain open and provide a safe service to residents too, following safety guidelines.
Although they did not win on this occasion, Chesham Fold TRA also recently made it on to the shortlist for an Excellence In Community Action Award, recognising the valuable work they provide locally.
Brandlesholme Community Group are part of Brandlesholme Alliance, and continue to deliver a food bank from Brandlesholme Community Centre to support vulnerable people locally in Bury, Ramsbottom and Tottington. Their local Tesco has been a fantastic support and the food bank has a donation point in there where shoppers can donate food.
Top o’th’ Fields and Welcomb Walk TRA organised an outdoor ‘Pick and Go Residents Coffee Morning’ for Macmillan recently raising a brilliant £628.00 for the worthy cause through the generosity of local residents. Well done! They are also purchasing sanitiser dispenser stations for their sheltered scheme thanks to funding from Six Town Housing’s community grant to help keep tenants and visitors safer during the pandemic.
Over the summer holidays, Victoria TRA provided Breakfast Parcels to families who were missing the service which is usually provided by schools. The parcels included fresh bread, fruit, milk and cereals and made sure that local children didn’t go hungry during the school holidays. The project was funded by Forever Manchester and topped up by our community grant. The fantastic community allotment on Victoria estate is still a hive of activity with volunteer gardeners maintaining the large site and growing a wide variety of fruit and veg which local people can purchase with donations, with money going back into the running of the allotment. Trust House is open again at the community centre, operating within the Covid guidelines on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays 10am to 2pm. Residents can register for their new food pantry, enjoy a warm welcome with a brew and chat, access support and advice and have run a face mask making session.
Abbey Close TRA have continued to provide support and help to elderly and vulnerable members of their community and social club with welfare check calls and errands. They have been reporting any fly tipping and other concerns on the estate, working with housing staff. They have also been busy maintaining the community garden, weeding, planting and are making new boxes from reclaimed wood with help from our community grant.
The TRA’s chair Dorothy Wood received a well-deserved British Empire Medal recently, for her community contributions.
Corrie Gardeners continue to run the food bank with Caritas (Diocese of Salford) and Trinity Baptist Church, which is now operating from a porta-cabin in the church car park. You can read more about it here. They continue to work with various agencies and like-minded individuals and groups to address issues around Radcliffe, in a group called Growing Together Radcliffe. They have been providing support, sourcing furniture for those in need and have recently been awarded over £9500 to help address mental health issues from the Covid pandemic.
Waverley Place Gardening Group and Red Bank Gardening team have both been keeping their communal gardens looking beautiful and growing fruit and vegetables.
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