Coverage of Big Local DY10 in 'The Shuttle'

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£1m scheme to regenerate three

  'unsafe' areas of Kidderminster

                 
First published Saturday 7 March 2015 in News
Last updated 13:20 Saturday 7 March 2015 by Peter John, Editor

SEVEN thousand residents in Kidderminster are being given £1m to transform their local area.

The Big Local DY10 project has been launched to regenerate Greenhill, Horsefair and Broadwaters. 

Safety issues are one of the top priorities, after nearly half the residents said they did not feel safe during the day, a figure that rises to two out of three at night.

Improving parks, reducing people's debts and offering more events for children are some of the other targets.

Another major concern is that just 10% of local people are classed as 'healthy', way below the county average of 40%.

The 10-year scheme is funded by the Big Lottery and is being run by a charitable trust, but project leaders stress the difference with many previous projects is that this one will be led by the residents themselves.

They have already carried out surveys of what people want and now plan a roadshow to get the message out across the three neighbourhoods.

Big Local leaders accept that £1m does not go far in a 10-year scheme, but are banking on the success of a 'social investment' element where £400,000 is being set aside to lend out on a commercial basis.

The hope is that the £400,000 can be used to generate more and more money to keep re-investing in the area.

Big Local wants to identify small businesses who could be helped to grow with loans, and thereby generate jobs and skills.

Some of the aims based on feedback from residents include:

• Make people feel safer
• Improve parks and increase community events in parks
• Clean up the area and keep it tidy
• Help people get cheaper loans and manage their finances through credit unions
• Increase after school and holiday clubs for kids
• Launch 'healthy eating on a budget' workshops
• Safe cycle and walk ways to improve health.

Leaflets will be dropping through letter boxes soon to tell people about the scheme, a pop-up shop is planned, and a roadshow will take place at the following places:

• St Oswald's primary, March 26, 7.30pm to 8.30pm
• St Ambrose Parish Hall, March 28, 11.30am to 12.30pm
• St Mary's primary, April 21, 7.30pm to 8.30pm.

For more information www.biglocaldy10.org