The funding that built our community

Building The Foundations…..

The last ten months have been one of the most productive times of my working life as the pandemic saw me begin a massive career change. Since I was a child I have had a keen interest in the outdoors and whilst pursuing a totally different line of work this interest has rarely waned. Starting a C.I.C (community interest company) was something I had never imagined but after speaking with various organisations it was something that I knew would open up opportunities and allow me to help others whilst enjoying my passion. The National Lottery Community Fund has helped me to realise this. Without their help I would not be writing this.

The Freshney Comrades…..

I had organically gained volunteers from my river cleaning exploits but wanted to build on this to include the whole stretch of our beautiful river, and in turn bring together even more members of the community. The plan was to roll out a project that would keep going long into the future and eventually run itself. After various walks, talks, and networking i amassed a dedicated team of ‘Comrades’ that would give their time and energy to making our river banks and adjacent blue and green spaces look as they should.

Help From Others…

The funding from the Community Fund allowed me to engage with local businesses and individuals who would help me to build the C.I.C and roll out the project. The Website was designed and completed, and a social media hub was formed. Local artist Sarah Palmer from The House With The Blue Door designed and produced all things arty, and Lilliput Waste Disposal got on board with debris management. Equipment was purchased and the Comrades set to work. The river has been divided up into five sections that are effectively managed by the team and any large items or river debris is reported to the hub, and further action is taken. The Canoe River Cleaner works closely alongside the team and is deployed when required. Each comrade now enjoys managing their own area and is given the opportunity to invite other memebers of the community to join them via the hub.

We Diversify And Move Forward

Since the start of my mission, and as time progressed it became evident that myself and the growing number of volunteers found comfort in walking our blue and green spaces as much as making them look nice. Litter picking and maintaining our areas is important but so was being outdoors, meeting other people, and feeling part of a group, especially after the pandemic. And so began our walking group. Helping as many people as possible was the main focus. The pandemic has hit a lot of people hard and the need to socialise has never been so important. Walking in nature is meditative. It improves mindfulness, and can help with a myriad of mental health issues. Our walk leaders are trained in mental and physical first aid and also have a keen interest in nature. The numbers speak for themselves. It’s become a resounding success story. We help each other. It is a lovely, ever increasing group.

It’s Living And Breathing

The main focus when funding was granted was to help as many people as possible but also to kickstart something that would keep going and going, and that’s exactly what we have achieved. The key factors that are outlined by the fund are……

In order to support communities to thrive, we aim to:

• build strong relationships in and across communities
• improve the places and spaces that matter to communities
• help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage.

We at All Things Good And Nice have strived hard to achieve these aims and thank all those involved in making it a success!