Reps Blog July-September 2021
July – September 2021
As your Big Local Rep, every three months or so, I share my thoughts on local area progress with you as residents and with the central team managing the national programme. Your comments and thoughts are always welcome.
Good news
First, congratulations to Vibrant Warsop CIC for taking ownership of the Methodist chapel. Its future is now secure as an asset of great community benefit, for use by local groups and as a connecting point at the heart of the community. Also, congratulations to the Big Warsop partnership and to Mansfield CVS for their vision, backing and due diligence in helping the purchase of the building to take place.
The wider picture
It’s encouraging how residents and local organisations are responding to current reduced Covid restrictions over the summer. Autumn and winter may yet pose further challenges for us, but July to September has given a welcome breathing space and renewed energy. Big Warsop has remained active and engaged throughout and is alert to these changes and supportive of groups and activities opening up again.
Nationally, it is exciting that the Big Local Connects event is still set to go ahead in Nottingham in late October where residents and workers from 150 areas will be able to share and learn from each other.
New recent resources include this new handbook on responding to loneliness. Together we plan handbook also offers useful approaches to support the partnerships in developing work during the COVID-19 crisis.
And just a reminder that if you don’t get the Local Trust monthly newsletter, it’s a good source of news and updates from across Big Local: you can sign up for it here: https://localtrust.org.uk/sign-up-to-our-newsletter/.
Running things
A successful online AGM was held in July. Maddy Prichard and Micheal Johnson stood down as chair and vice chair, having steered Big Warsop successfully through the middle years of the programme in which it increased the focus on Strengthening Communities and, of course, in responding to the pandemic. Michael Smith and Graham Goff were elected chair and vice chair. Two new members were also elected to the partnership, Liz Philips and Sharon Scott.
With Vibrant taking ownership of the Methodist chapel, one chapter is concluded and another begins. Vibrant, Big Warsop and its Local Trusted Organisation, Mansfield CVS, have now successfully navigated the tricky journey over the last year to secure the building for community benefit. Vibrant will now take forward its vision for strengthening communities across the parish, supported by Big Warsop’s new and more focused plan. This plan follows a thorough review that you can access here: Big Warsop Plan Review 20-21. This new and probably final plan takes us through to September 2023, with three objectives:
- To focus investment activity on Strengthening Communities.
- To celebrate ten years of community led change through the Big Local programme.
- To ensure good endings and sound transition.
Meanwhile, the Big Warsop partnership has been able to resume face to face meetings which will now revert to the monthly format. Partner agreements, reports on activities, minutes of meetings and stories of action and change are posted on the website. Monthly financial updates are provided by the Local Trusted Organisation, Mansfield CVS.
Looking ahead
Big Warsop is just waiting for the green light from Local Trust to go ahead with its final two year plan, focusing on the strengthening communities strand. It will look to develop a wider partnership with Rotary and others to help RoLo community chest to continue beyond Big Local. It will develop a range of events to help community celebration in the coming months, including the Warsop Carnival.