Contact Over £1.5 million ‘Healthy Pupils’ projects completed
Over £1.5 million ‘Healthy Pupils’ projects completed
More than a quarter of Hampshire’s 534 schools have benefited from £1.537 million ‘Healthy Pupils’ government funding – money for improving children and young people’s physical and mental health by increasing the availability of, and improving facilities for physical activity, mental health and wellbeing, and healthy eating.
Information about how the funding has been spent, was included in Hampshire County Council’s Children’s Services Capital Programme Report which was presented to the Council’s Executive Lead Member for Children’s Services and Young People, Councillor Patricia Stallard. She commented:
“This is really good news and in the current circumstances we find ourselves, in relation to COVID-19, could not be more poignant. I am delighted to see how far the funding has reached and it has clearly been maximised to the advantage of as many of the county’s children and young people as possible, targeting where it is most needed.”
In the past two years, almost 170 projects in schools across the county have been completed using this funding, including:
• Six swimming pool upgrades;
• 33 projects improving outdoor activity facilities (including playground resurfacing, new outdoor equipment, daily mile running tracks);
• 100 healthy eating projects, with schools being provided with new equipment and, in secondary schools, the rebranding of cafés;
• And new cycle and scooter sheds in 30 schools in support of the schools’ new travel initiatives.
A further nine projects are in the final stages of planning, to be delivered in the coming months. Details of schools that have received a share of this investment can be found in the Capital Programme report (16 September 2020).
Projects were delivered at Primary, Secondary and Special schools. In determining where the funding was most needed, Children’s Services officers worked closely with Public Health colleagues to better understand the many factors that impact on children’s health and wellbeing and what can be done to improve these areas.
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An epic attempt to cycle up (and down) Firle Beacon 70 times and match the height of Mount Everest gets underway on Sunday September 20.
Eoghan McHugh aims to raise £10K for Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) and raise the profile of their ongoing campaigns to protect national marine conservation and empower local communities to protect oceans, beaches and wildlife.
The incredible feat of endurance is supported by Lewes District Council chairman Adrian Ross. He is donating £100 from the Civic Office to the sponsorship appeal and, earlier this month, joined him for a practice ride.
“Cycling up and down Firle Bostal once was enough of a challenge for me. I have no idea how anyone could even contemplate doing it 70 times! I wish Eoghan the very best of luck for his challenge and in his fundraising for a very worthwhile charity.”
Cllr Ross said SAS’s aims were in line with the environmental action part of his theme of office and praised their support for beach cleans and plastic-free campaigns in Seaford, Newhaven and Tide Mills.
He said the ride would also highlight a beautiful part of Lewes District. The village of Firle is popular with hikers, cyclists and day-trippers. Firle Beacon is a landmark on the South Downs Way, a 100-mile off-road trail between Eastbourne and Winchester.
The ride starts just after midnight and Eoghan aims to complete the challenge by early Sunday evening.
“It’s a big challenge,” Eoghan said. “Organising an event around the challenge seemed like an opportunity to invite people from across East and West Sussex to remember what a great community we live in and how beautiful the Downs are. Being outdoors in an area resplendent in beauty like Firle, Surfers Against Sewage were an obvious charity to partner with. It’s organisations like SAS that will help to protect and improve the landscapes we all love!”
A virtual event is being held next week to hear local stories from lockdown, the good and the bad, and what might be needed most with the arrival of a new community, a garden community to the South of Ashford.
Ashford Borough Council is looking for local people of all generations in Ashford who have stories from their lockdown experience during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Stories of neighbourliness, new found friendships, tragic loss and struggle, or simply those stories of the unexpected and delightfully peculiar!
We want to learn what helped about where you live and what didn’t during the difficult lockdown period. Did you go outdoors more and explore new places or did you find aspects of your home which didn’t work so well? What is it about the design and quality of our communities which works well and what needs rethinking?
Telling such stories is of great importance when planning future communities, which is why we’re looking at the arrival of the South of Ashford Garden Community through this lens. This will be a large development, some of which has already begun construction, and those new residents will be looking to bond with their surroundings and the people who have lived in the area for many years.
How can we learn from the pandemic experience to shape this development into a vibrant community able to weather future storms? How can we ensure new and older communities come together again to overcome further health and economic impacts of the continuing pandemic?
These questions and more will be explored at a special online event on Friday 25 September from 2 – 3.30pm. If you have a story you would like to share, please write to Dan Daley via [email protected]. We are looking for stories to be told live at the event. Alternatively, you’re welcome to send in a video recording (2 to 5 minutes in length).
Background on Visioning the South of Ashford Garden Community
Local government, ward and parish councillors, private developers and local residents of communities to the South of Ashford have been meeting over the past year to discuss the South of Ashford Garden Community (SAGC). This is a development with the potential to deliver 7,250 new homes in the borough along with new schools, community facilities, a 142 hectare strategic park and local commercial centres.
Now is an important moment to set out a Five Year Vision & Strategy for this development which prioritises community-led governance and land management, economic growth, health provision, culture, art, active sustainable travel and high quality design and character.
This month several Focus Groups have been held to further build upon key themes which emerged from two public workshops held in 2019. These groups will be refining these themes into a set of key principles and recommendations for the SAGC Vision & Strategy document.
The aim is to present this document to Cabinet in December with the hopes it is adopted, not only by Ashford Borough Council but also the developers of the sites, local representatives and other organisations able to support the implementation of its aims.
Agenda for Friday 25 September
At this event we will hear stories from local residents about their lockdown experiences, and a discussion about what worked and didn’t work to support them through this difficult time.
We will also hear from Focus Group participants who have been developing key principles which make places better. Guests include ward councillors and the Chief Executive of Ashford Borough Council. All attendees will be invited to ask questions and participate in some interactive polling.
Further views can be shared via the consultations running throughout this month. To learn more about the SAGC and the consultation programme please visit the dedicated webpage. You can also go straight to the public survey here.
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Cabinet councillors last night (Wed, Sept 16) approved an expansion of the College Conservation Area in Eastbourne, which has been a protected place of special architecture and historic interest for more than 30 years.
First adopted in 1986, the College Conservation Area covers a zone immediately next to Eastbourne College and is among Eastbourne Borough Council’s 12 conservation areas.
Councillor Colin Swansborough, Cabinet member for Place Services and Special Projects, said: “This is a really positive step for the town in terms of conservation and is a move that was well supported throughout two public consultations.
“By enlarging the College Conservation Area we are boosting the importance of the heritage assets in this part of town and significantly broadening the range of good quality properties that will be protected by the future.”
A periodic review of the conservation area by an independent consultancy in late 2018 included a detailed survey and consideration of the area’s existing boundaries with suggestions for possible extensions.
Then followed a public consultation in spring 2019 over altering the boundaries to make the conservation area bigger and feedback was positive.
More detailed proposals for the boundary extension were drawn up and these were consulted upon later in the year, broadly gaining support from respondents.
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Recycle Week (21 – 27 September) is fast approaching. This year’s theme is ‘Together – We Recycle’ and the aim is to thank you for your efforts in continuing to recycle despite facing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s amazing that people are recycling so much, with some Essex councils recording 20% increases in household recycling.
Use the hashtag #RecycleWeek to share with us what you recycle at home.
Composting at home is a fantastic way to make the most of your raw veg peelings and grass cuttings and improve your soil. So why not start this autumn? We have all the advice you need to get started, plus it’s a great time of year to start creating leaf mould that can be used as a soil improver. Rather than just putting fallen leaves into your garden waste collection you can place them in a bin liner pierced with small holes. After two years of leaving them loosely tied and tucked away from sight you should have leaf mould to add nutrients to your soil.
Are you interested in sustainable projects in Essex? In the last round of funding, the Love Essex Fund provided grants of £500 to some amazing organisations who are reducing household waste in Essex:
The Colchester Food Coop is a non-profit which provides eco-friendly and affordable food products to its members
BabyStuff Braintree is a baby bank where parents in need can find clothes, push chairs and other accessories
UnSealed is a plastic-free, refill shop in Clacton selling foodstuff.
If you have a sustainable project idea, keep an eye out on the Love Essex Facebook, Instagram and Twitter page for the next round of funding which launches in October!
More and more of us are swapping the car with the bus, bike or our own two feet. Whether you’re off to the shops, visiting friends or family, or getting to and from work, school or college, join people across Essex and rethink your daily travel.
Eating seasonally is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and enjoy fresh produce. Now that autumn is almost here, why not try one of these delicious recipes?
During recent months, a lot of people have spent time making improvements to their gardens and homes. If you have rubble left over, the best option is to pass it on to others. Simply post it on your local Freegle group. You may be surprised by who needs some rubble to finish off work they are doing. The other option is to take it to certain recycling centres. However, please check restrictions before visiting so that you don’t waste a trip.
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Facilities now pitch perfect following improvements
More clubs across the borough will soon be able to enjoy improved facilities at a key football site as construction work nears completion.
Following a £152,000 funding boost from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, additional upgrade work, which includes new spectator stands, turnstiles, public address system, new committee room, changing room improvements and new mesh screening at the site, is expected to complete later this month.
This latest work follows the completion of a new state-of-the-art artificial pitch which was officially opened last August funded by Hampshire Football Association, The Football Foundation and the borough council.
It is hoped the latest improvements, which will bring the facility up to Grade D standards, will increase participation in local football by allowing more football clubs to enjoy high level facilities.
Following the completion of the work, ground grading officials will carry out an inspection to confirm the improvements meet their standards before the site is officially reopened.
Over the last five years significant investment has been made in sports facilities across the borough to improve the health and wellbeing of residents. This includes improvements at Down Grange, 3G pitches in Winklebury and Down Grange and The Vyne and Testbourne schools, improvements at Howard Park Bowls Club and a gym refurbishment for The Hurst Community School.
Cabinet Member for Borough Development and Improvement Cllr Rebecca Bean said: “I am pleased this important work to upgrade Winklebury Football Complex is almost complete and players of all ages and abilities will be able to enjoy these great new facilities.
“As a council who is committed to ensuring our residents can enjoy sports activities, we have made significant investment in sporting facilities across the borough over the last five years. We know sport is so important for improving your health and wellbeing and I would encourage residents to go and enjoy the great mix of sporting facilities we have in the borough.”
Hampshire FA CEO, Neil Cassar, added: “We are very pleased with additional investment into Winklebury Football Complex which will enhance the experience of all users and visitors. At a time when there is so much uncertainty in the world, the power of sport and football in particular has a key role to play in uniting our communities and keeping local people healthy and active in body and in mind.”
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The Chair of Lewes District Council was wowed by the artwork and creative crafts on display at this year’s Artwave and is looking forward to the final few days of the festival still to come. Accompanied by his wife and two young children, Councillor Adrian Ross met artists and makers in Seaford, Newhaven, Kingston and Lewes, when he visited some of the 85 venues across Lewes district that are hosting Artwave exhibitions.
He said: “My family and I had a really lovely day visiting artists all around the district – in halls, cafes, offices and even barns! We saw a lot of amazing art, with much of it at very reasonable prices. It was a lovely way to introduce our two young children to art without the formality of a traditional art gallery.”
Cllr Ross attended an array of events and exhibitions including the Artwave opening ceremony in Newhaven, he had his portrait drawn and his children enjoyed following the Familiar Faces Around Newhaven trail.
The festival opened on September 6 and runs until this Sunday (September 20).
Cllr Ross said: “Our district is home to so many great artists and makers, and I encourage people to come along and enjoy their creative talents over the last few days of fantastic Artwave.”
Due to Covid-19, no private homes are open this year with artists displaying their work in a variety of indoor and outdoor public spaces.
Measures have been put in place to ensure all visits are safe and people are asked to follow social distancing and hygiene guidelines including wearing a face covering if visiting an indoor exhibition.
As in previous years, visitors can follow trails around Newhaven, Seaford, Lewes or trace a route through rural district villages. There is no need to pre-book.
For full details including a list of all venues, maps and opening times, along with Covid-19 guidance for visitors, please visit artwavefestival.org
There is no printed guide this year, with all information now online. The teams in the Lewes and Seaford Tourist Information Centres will be able to help anyone who does not have access to the internet.
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A new free exhibition marking the 80th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation takes centre stage as Dover Museum re-opens.
The exhibition had been prepared in readiness for the national commemorations in May but now is the first time the public have been able to visit the museum since lockdown.
The evacuation of most of the British Expeditionary Force along with French and Belgian forces from Dunkirk was masterminded by Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsay from his headquarters in the tunnels deep beneath Dover Castle. ‘Operation Dynamo’ started on 26 May 1940 and ended on 4 June 1940, with 338,226 men evacuated from the port and beaches around Dunkirk.
Dover Museum is one of the oldest museums in Kent, and also houses the world’s oldest surviving seagoing boat within the Bronze Age Boat Gallery. It tells the fascinating story of Britain’s historic port town. The Museum offers free entry.
New Covid-secure visiting arrangements have been developed and accredited under the Visit Britain ‘We’re Good to Go’ industry-standard.
The number of visitors in the museum’s four galleries is restricted to ensure that everyone can enjoy their visit, while maintaining social distancing recommendations.
Cllr Trevor Bartlett, Leader of the Council, visiting the new Dunkirk exhbition at Dover Museum which re-opened today
Dover Museum also houses the White Cliffs Country Visitor Information Centre, providing a welcoming and expert service to help tourists and local people discover the wealth of local attractions.
Cllr MJ Holloway, DDC’s cabinet member for tourism, said: “It’s great to see the Museum and Visitor Information Centre open again and welcoming visitors to the town and surrounding area.
“The new Dunkirk exhibition is a superb addition to the galleries. The curatorial team have done a fantastic job in telling the story of another chapter in Dover’s rich history as a frontline town.
“As our visitor economy starts to rebuild, we’re continuing to invest in the visitor economy, including the launch of the new White Cliffs Country website at www.whitecliffscountry.org.uk.”
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Background on Visioning the South of Ashford Garden Community
Measures have been put in place to ensure all visits are safe and people are asked to follow social distancing and hygiene guidelines including wearing a face covering if visiting an indoor exhibition.