Bowling at the Eldonians
Development trusts shine at the BURA Crystal Awards
Two DTA members, the Eldonian Group in Liverpool and Old Lambeth Walk Development Trust in London, were awarded BURA Crystals Awards. These awards celebrate the best of British regeneration from 1990 – 2005 and were awarded to schemes which have previously won a BURA award.
The Eldonian Group is engaged in the economic & social regeneration of Vauxhall and the wider area in Liverpool. They have developed over 400 homes, community based businesses and over 250 jobs. The Old Lambeth Walk Development Trust was formed as an action group to combat demolition of the famous parade, which had fallen into disrepair. Their efforts have helped bring the buildings back into use through preserving the existing businesses and providing affordable housing. Both projects are clear examples of how concerted community effort and determination can achieve high levels of community regeneration and transformation, which will have a lasting impact for future generations.
Claire Edwards, Chair of the Old Lambeth Walk Development Trust, had this to say: “The trust is delighted to receive an award from BURA for a second time. There were challenges to be met at each stage of the development. The pre development phase required vision and toughness from the leading lights in the trust at that time. Then came the construction and refurbishment stage, which involved the co-operation and expertise of people from many trades and disciplines. We are now in the post development phase which is a source of continuing challenges, as well as deep satisfaction at seeing arts based businesses interacting with residents to make a thriving inner city community. Thank you to BURA for this fine accolade.” Steve Wyler, Director of the DTA, also enthused: "This really goes to show that community led enterprise in the form of development trusts is at the forefront of regeneration in Britain today.”
CONTRACTING AN OPPORTUNITY OR A DANGER
A questionnaire survey by Iain Tuckett of Coin Street Community Builders was e-mailed in August 2005 to 295 development trusts in the UK. The analysis is based on 64 completed questionnaires received.
Read the questionnaire
DEFRA
Select here to read the DTA's response to consultation on Defra's Rural Social and Community Programme.
Contracting - what does it mean for development trusts?
Chris Beety, a Board member of the DTA and the North East Social Enterprise Partnership and Chief Executive of Community Ventures Ltd recently delivered a speech on contracting to provide public sector services. To read, please select the link below.
Contracting
DTA report on Business Links: Following the Social Enterprise Conference we contacted our memebrs to get an up to date picture from development trusts around the country about their experiences of Business Links and their views on business support. We have summarized the findings in the attached report. Please forward any comment or views to g.arradon@dta.org.uk
New community Role for Lenton Leisure Centre
This decision demonstrates the value of the DTA, the movement, the ACF fund and our supporters. Jaz Greer of the Cast Trust in Derby was the ACF supporter for Lenton and has proved to be extremely gifted in business capability and negotiation with entrepreneurial strategic thinking. The group at Lenton are amazed they have come so far, especially as they have changed from being a voluntary group who were a bit angry about the closure of their pool, to a community activist position with a vision to buy the building, something they had not considered until they did a visioning workshop with the DTA last year. Huge growth in twelve months-one to feature and watch!
Select to read an article about it on the Nottingham City Council webpage
DTA's DVD
The DTA have produced a DVD entitled "Delivering Community Enterprise". To find out more select here.
Asset Transfer Research - Bristol City Council
Pulse Regeneration was appointed to undertake research into asset transfer within the Bristol social economy sector to enable the Council to better achieve its broader social, environmental and economic objectives.
Read the full report
Making community buildings work for people: an action research study into the sustainability of community buildings
The Civic Trust believes that community buildings can play a vital role in supporting communities.
In association with Community Investors Development Agency, the Trust has carried out a study to improve the understanding of what is required to successfully develop a community building, both physically and operationally.
The study, published in March 2005, aims to encourage policy makers at all levels to create strategic policy and resource frameworks that enable the provision of sustainable community buildings; and to help empower voluntary and community organisations to improve their capacity for developing sustainable community buildings. It provides practical guidance in the form of a tried and tested methodology.
To find out more, please select this link.
An end to "clawback"
Residents as Neighbourhood Workers
The Sunlight Development Trust : Audience with Tony Blair
'Looking at Potential'
An exercise for business franchising for the DTA and its members.
The “Looking at Potential” project is a short consultation and exploration exercise which will look at the prospects and appropriateness of business franchising for development trusts and the DTA. It is being conducted by Vice Versa Projects who have leading expertise in the field of social business franchising. The aim of the project is to build on the work of the Enterprise Accelerator programme to develop suitable and sustainable income streams from social and community enterprises.
Please select the links below to access the documents:
Looking at Potentials
The Business Idea Probe - a self assesment tool for the prospective franchiser
