Archive for category: Community

West Northamptonshire Council is excited to introduce a new free taxi service that will bridge the gap between North Gate Bus Station and the market at its temporary Commercial Street location in Northampton. This initiative, in partnership with Bounds Taxis, aims to provide easy access to the market for those who may otherwise face challenges in reaching its temporary location. With just the push of a button, visitors can call for a taxi free of charge to pick them up at the bus station, and a return journey is equally convenient with another simple button press at the market. As part of its commitment to supporting the market during its temporary relocation, the council is funding this initiative as it recognises the importance of ensuring accessibility for all visitors. The new taxi service offers a seamless transport solution, eliminating barriers and enabling people to conveniently enjoy the wonderful produce on offer at Commercial Street market. “We are thrilled to partner with Bounds Taxis to provide this service, enhancing accessibility to the market,” said Cllr Dan Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth. “By simply pushing a button, visitors can effortlessly summon a taxi to transport them between the North Gate Bus Station and the market. “This initiative reflects our dedication to supporting the market and ensuring that everyone can easily experience the vibrant atmosphere and unique offerings it provides.” The temporary relocation of the market to Commercial Street is part of a broader plan to revitalize Northampton’s Market Square. The ongoing renovation work aims to transform the square into a modern, welcoming space that will serve as a vibrant hub for residents and visitors alike. The project includes enhancements to the market facilities, pedestrian areas, and landscaping, all designed to create an inviting environment for trading and community activities. “The Market Square renovation project is an ambitious undertaking that will revitalize the heart of Northampton,” said Cllr Lister. “We are committed to creating an attractive, functional space that will serve as a thriving marketplace and a focal point for community activities. “While this work progresses, our collaboration with Bounds Taxis will ensure that the Commercial Street market remains easily accessible to all.” The taxi service launched today (Tuesday 18 July) and will operate from 7am to 4pm daily.

People will be invited to have their say on the next chapter for developing the Library Service across West Northants following a decision at yesterday’s (11 July) Cabinet meeting.

Residents will be able to share their views on a new 4-year draft strategy which sets out 7 priority areas for public libraries, including:

• Increased reading and literacy
• Cultural and creative enrichment
• Improved digital access and literacy
• Healthier and happier lives
• Helping everyone achieve their full potential
• Greater prosperity
• Stronger and more resilient communities

The Library Service Strategy will cover 2023 to 2027 and build on previous work to make libraries hubs for local communities from which a range of services, information and support can be accessed. It considers the post-pandemic landscape and the resulting behavioural changes of residents and needs of the communities, as well as opportunities to work in partnership with the new community managed libraries to provide services locally.

Proposals include expanding existing reading offers through a range of reading initiatives such as Rhyme Times for pre-schoolers and the Reading Friends scheme which helps tackle social isolation, and working closely with the Northampton Museum and Art Gallery to provide opportunities for people to explore culture and creativity by bringing cultural and heritage exhibitions to libraries in Brackley, Towcester, Daventry and Weston Favell as well as providing opportunities for local communities to create their own exhibitions.

The strategy also details how libraries’ unique position of being neutral, safe, trusted, and non-judgemental spaces enables them to support the Integrated Care Northamptonshire Strategy “Live your best life” ambitions, which includes opportunities for self-help as well as community level social prescribing and the promotion of key Public Health messages and campaigns to a wide audience.

Currently, WNC’s statutory library service is made up of 9 council run libraries, a 24/7 online library service, a school library service and a Library to You home library service which delivers to housebound customers. The Council also supports 9 Community Managed Libraries who extend the library services outside of the statutory provision and are valued key stakeholders and community-based delivery partners.

All responses following the consultation, which is planned to begin in September, will be considered and will help to shape a final version of the strategy to then be considered by West Northamptonshire Council’s Cabinet this autumn.

Cllr Adam Brown, Deputy Leader of WNC and Cabinet Member for Housing, Culture and Leisure, said: “In recent years West Northamptonshire Libraries have been through a period of significant transformation against a challenging background of events, however they continue to act as a cornerstone to our communities, providing knowledge, information and resources and acting as connectors which help to improve wellbeing – particularly mental health.

“This strategy sets out how we propose to continue to develop our libraries as thriving community hubs over the next 4 years, ensuring that we take advantage of every opportunity to help deliver on our council priorities and the 10 Integrated Care Northamptonshire Strategy Live Your Best Life ambitions.

“It is vital that we hear the views of residents in order to best shape our Library Service and ensure it meets the needs of users. I strongly encourage everyone to share their ideas and help us to deliver a service which benefits the whole community.”

The strategy follows the Libraries for living, and for living better report, which has been published following research by the University of East Anglia presenting evidence that Libraries in England generate at least £3.4bn in value each year through services supporting children’s literacy, digital inclusion and health and wellbeing. The report also suggests that a typical library branch provides services worth £1million each year and that libraries’ value could equate to six times their running costs.

The draft Library Services Strategy can be viewed here. For more information on the library services in West Northants, visit the libraries webpage.

This newsletter is independent of the Parish Council. Any queries should be sent to Charlotte Mackaness.

Working with food culture leaders, Food for Life, the new programme aims to make healthy food the norm for thousands of children in West Northamptonshire.

The three-year programme will work with schools and communities with areas of high deprivation and obesity to give children better access to healthy food and an understanding of where our food comes from. In West Northamptonshire, the programme will be a key part of the Council’s joined up approach to decreasing obesity through building relationships between schools, early years settings, caterers and local food systems.

Cllr Matt Golby, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health at WNC said: “It is great to see this programme launch to encourage a lasting and sustainable change for our children and young people when it comes to picking a healthier food option. We know there are many health and wellbeing benefits to eating well, and helping to create greater access and understanding of better food choices is a really positive way of doing this.”

Food for Life has been working with schools across the country for the past 20 years, instilling good food culture through their pioneering awards scheme and high-level accreditation standards. Recent work in Walsall has seen 16,058 pupils benefit from having the Food for Life programme in their school.

The programme will work with 35 Schools and 10 Early Years settings to establish a healthy food culture for pupils, staff and families. Food for Life will also work with the wider community to embed nutritional knowledge, cooking confidence and support for behavioural change in relation to food.

Cllr Fiona Baker, Cabinet Member for Children, Families, Education and Skills at WNC said: “This is an important programme that will provide education, nutrition advice and access to better food choices to pupils in 45 of our schools and early years setting across West Northamptonshire. We are committed to delivering better outcomes and working with our education settings to support early prevention is key in achieving this.”

School caterers will work towards a Food for Life Served Here (FFLSH) Award. FFLSH is a sustainable catering certification that ensures food is at least 75% freshly prepared, uses seasonal ingredients where possible and the School Food Standards are met as a minimum.

Local Programme Manager Joanne Plater who will be working with targeted schools across the district to embed the programme, says:

Working with food culture leaders, Food for Life, the new programme aims to make healthy food the norm for thousands of children in West Northamptonshire. The three-year programme will work with schools and communities with areas of high deprivation and obesity to give children better access to healthy food and an understanding of where our food comes from. In West Northamptonshire, the programme will be a key part of the Council’s joined up approach to decreasing obesity through building relationships between schools, early years settings, caterers and local food systems. Cllr Matt Golby, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health at WNC said: “It is great to see this programme launch to encourage a lasting and sustainable change for our children and young people when it comes to picking a healthier food option. We know there are many health and wellbeing benefits to eating well, and helping to create greater access and understanding of better food choices is a really positive way of doing this.” Food for Life has been working with schools across the country for the past 20 years, instilling good food culture through their pioneering awards scheme and high-level accreditation standards. Recent work in Walsall has seen 16,058 pupils benefit from having the Food for Life programme in their school. The programme will work with 35 Schools and 10 Early Years settings to establish a healthy food culture for pupils, staff and families. Food for Life will also work with the wider community to embed nutritional knowledge, cooking confidence and support for behavioural change in relation to food. Cllr Fiona Baker, Cabinet Member for Children, Families, Education and Skills at WNC said: “This is an important programme that will provide education, nutrition advice and access to better food choices to pupils in 45 of our schools and early years setting across West Northamptonshire. We are committed to delivering better outcomes and working with our education settings to support early prevention is key in achieving this.” School caterers will work towards a Food for Life Served Here (FFLSH) Award. FFLSH is a sustainable catering certification that ensures food is at least 75% freshly prepared, uses seasonal ingredients where possible and the School Food Standards are met as a minimum. Local Programme Manager Joanne Plater who will be working with targeted schools across the district to embed the programme, says: “I’m very excited to be support settings in West Northamptonshire to develop their uniquely positive school food culture using the framework of the Food for Life Schools and Early Years Awards. “Connecting children with where their food comes from and increasing their knowledge and experience of healthy foods is thing of joy. Food for Life will support targeted settings to make these opportunities accessible to all through a variety of free and individual support. To find out more, please contact me on jplater@soilassociation.org”

Dear Parish and Town Council Clerks,

Please see below some brief details of the latest ‘Community Led Housing Roadshow’ being organised in the Guildhall Northampton, by East Midlands Community Led Housing.

We will be very pleased if you could share this information with elected members and with your other local community contacts.

Thank you for any assistance here. We will also be happy to receive any direct enquiries about local initiatives.

“Community Led Housing Roadshow  

10.30 – 12.30 Friday 7 July 2023, The Council Chamber, Guildhall, Northampton, NN1 1DE

T?his latest Roadshow from East Midlands Community Led Housing will provide information to community organisations, Parish Councils, housing bodies, land-owners and other professional interests on how local people are having a central role in creating new homes and neighbourhoods to meet the needs of their communities.

Examples of such projects and successes will be highlighted and used to explore ideas for how further initiatives could be established around Northampton and the county area.

Please book a free ticket on the following Eventbrite link :  Community Led Housing – East Midlands Roadshow Northampton

F?or further information please contact : martinf@emclh.co.uk (07976 546532)

(More details will be circulated closer to the event date.)”

Martin Field

Senior Facilitator

East Midlands Community Led Housing

Stanley Bett House, 15-23 Tentercroft Street

Lincoln LN5 7DB

Mobile : 07976 546532 / 07724 812 359 (if first number is unavailable – no voicemail)

(Work days: all day Monday to Thursday)

[Author : ‘Creating Community-Led and Self Build Homes :

a Guide to Collaborative Practice in the UK’, Policy Press, 2020

https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/creating-community-led-and-self-build-homes

Co-editor : ‘The UK Cohousing Network Practical Guide to Cohousing’,

Diggers & Dreamers Press, 2022

Practical Guide to Cohousing – Diggers and Dreamers]

Website |www.emclh.co.uk| Twitter| @EastMidsCLH  

LinkedIn | East Midlands Community Led Housing

Community Interest Company 7952697

East Midlands Community Led Housing (EMCLH) is the not-for-profit community-led housing “Hub” within the East Midlands region, as recorded on the national website www.communityledhomes.org.uk.

EMCLH is a member of the National Community Land Trust Network; the UK Cohousing Network; Locality; the Confederation of Co-operative Housing; and the National Custom and Self Build Association (NaCSBA)