December 2011 - Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

12 The Shuttle DECEMBER2011
Organised Chaos,
Little Harwood
By Kate Grieves
A Blackburn mixed martial arts
group helped residents find
their beat on a big community
clean-up.
The group – Organised Chaos –
were part of a crackdown in Little
Harwood after over 150 residents
took action against litter blighting
the streets as part of the ward solutions
scheme.
Children aged between six and
12 years old, led by Organised Chaos
leaders Michelle and Rex Gath,
donned high-vis jackets and set off
with bin bags to help other community
heroes brighten up the streets.
Residents had reported problems
with litter at the ward solutions
meeting and local people, councillors
and community offi cers banded
together to organise an environmental
awareness day, joining up
with residents who were take part
in the Living Streets environmental
walk about in Little Harwood.
Working from Little Harwood
Community Centre, volunteers
were given free equipment from the
environmental team including skip,
litter pickers, bags and gloves and
left the area spotless, fi lling hundreds
of bags with rubbish.
Rex Gath said: “A big part of
martial arts is the ideals behind it,
such as teaching the children to be
socially responsible and respectful,
so we were really keen to get
involved with the clean-up when we
heard about it through Ward Solutions.
Councillor Yusuf Jan-Virmani,
Blackburn with Darwen Council’s
executive member for neighbourhoods
and customer services, said:
“It is very encouraging to see children
getting involved and to see
such a great community effort and
turnout for the benefi t of the neighbourhood.
Councillor Faryad Hussain, executive
member for environmental
improvement and sustainability,
said: “Littering is a nuisance and
a real eyesore and it is great that
communities are coming together
to tackle this and take pride in their
local environment.”
For more information on Organised
Chaos visit www.organisedchaos.org.uk.
These residents are fighting for their borough
BROWNHILL PLANTATION GROUP
4The Brownhill
plantation group
Ivy Street Community Association
Christine Connell, chair of the community association, and fellow volunteers
work tirelessly in making the Infirmary area of Ewood a better
place.
They run the Ivy Street Community Centre, a hub of the neighbourhood.
The centre gets a minimum of 500 people coming every week.
They have recently set up a scheme to help older people in the community
over winter. The volunteers make sure people who have signed up are safe,
warm and well over winter by checking on them and even preparing meals for
them.
Why do what you do for your community
We all like helping. We get a lot out of it because we are making the community
a better place to live. It’s hard to put in words how it makes you feel.
When I was growing up everyone in the neighbourhood was an uncle and
auntie. There was a real community spirit. We want to get back to those times.
There are people who have been coming to Ivy Street community centre since
they were young now they bring their own children.
Why should people get involved in their neighbourhoods
There’s nothing stopping them. Everyone can play a part.
A group of volunteers turned
out to transform a popular recreational
area.
Residents put a hard shift in
sprucing up Brownhill Plantation,
a woodland just off Whalley New
Road.
The group used tools and
equipment supplied by Blackburn
with Darwen Council as part of its
Your Call drive to clear away undergrowth
that had covered steps
and paving in the area.
The plantation was a popular
spot for decades but in recent
years has suffered from neglect.
Resident Maurice Ffelan, who
coordinated the activities, said:
"The Brownhill Plantation was a
popular spot for promenading
and relaxing in the early years of
the last century but it has suffered
from neglect in recent years.
“It is our long-term aim to return
it to its former glory. We are
also interested in the history of the
Plantation and would welcome any
information and memories, especially
photographs from any date.”
Roe Lee ward councillor Phil
Riley, who was at the clean-up,
said: “It would be great to see the
plantation get back to its former
glory. We’ve made a good start.”
Maurice, who also gave a hand
to St Gabriel's litter pickers, urged
others to help their neighbourhoods.
He said: "If there are things
people can see that need doing
they should pitch in. It would make
a huge difference if everybody just
did a little bit themselves."
Anyone interested in joining in
any future events or with any past
information, can contact Maurice
on 01254 248568 or maurice@
ffelan33.icom43.net
www.blackburn.gov.uk/your-call