Silver Jubilee Park is just outside of the East Coseley Big Local border, but the park and its activities benefit many people in the Coseley area.
The Friends of Silver Jubilee Park were supported by East Coseley Big Local to purchase a laptop and printer in 2017. When asked of the impact, the response was “The biggest impact to our group has been access.”
Jan, secretary of the Friends of Silver Jubilee Park group said, “At first, we approached Tesco’s ‘Bags for Help’ to support us to buy a computer, but then East Coseley Big Local offered to help and support us. Tesco’s Bags for Help is actually an online application, so we needed a computer in order to apply for any funding.
After receiving the computer from Big Local, we were able to apply to Tesco. When we received funding from Tesco, we were able to buy a marquee, marketing and promotion material, and a long hosepipe to save people carrying watering cans long distances. Big Local has enabled us to widen our scope, as we now have access to apply online for funding for other things to make the park better for local people.”
With Big Local support the group has become more independent. “Originally the council would do funding applications for us, but now we can do it ourselves. We’ve got more access!”
The printer has enabled the group to print papers and posters which have helped local people who don’t have access to email to get involved and find out what is happening on the park.
Many activities take place in the park including Health Walks, Buggy Walks for mothers, Nordic Walks, Yoga, and Keep Fit classes. The Health Walks used to be led by council staff, now volunteers have taken them on. Their walking route includes not just the park but the Coseley canal and Bayer Street Allotments.
We met some of the people from the walking group. Local lady Brenda has been coming to the Health Walks for 8 years, she likes to take her son’s dog for a walk. Abdar is in his 70’s, he does 5 laps around the park every week.
Another local lady, Cindy, came to the weekly walking group when she had not long had a stroke and could hardly walk, 4 years on she’s happily walking around the park and now attends the parks committee meetings. Week by week she has improved.
Around 2 years ago, the Friends of the park group started to come to East Coseley Big Local meetings. From this, they made new connections and built relationships with other groups based in Coseley.
East Coseley’s Community Connectors Dave and Shona have been connecting local people to activities in the Park.
“Dave will bring some of the people he meets whilst working in the Coseley area to the park. He brought one lady, Iris, who can’t speak but is able to hear, she has been joining in with the Health Walks on a Wednesday morning. Linking with JST has been very good, some people haven’t stayed but they have got out of the house and they know where to come if they want to do something different.”
The Friends of Jubilee Park has also joined the Coseley Skittles League. From these nights at Darkhouse Church they have built up links with other Coseley groups and got involved with Big Local activities. They now feel more connected in the community. “It’s really nice to get involved in social activities as a group. It’s given people here a wider view of what’s going on in the area. When we do our walks, we’ll have a walk down to the allotments, they give us plants for the park, it’s all about sharing.”
The local Pentecostal church now has a coffee morning once a month in the park, they also link with East Coseley Big Local.
The group is working hard to improve public and green spaces for the people of Coseley. They have been busy clearing the old bowling green on the park to create a family space for the people of Coseley. “Before, nobody would come in because it was just an overgrown wilderness.”
Since the 6-8 foot of hedge has been taken out by the group’s volunteers it’s opened up the park. “People feel safer, you can see the Bowling Green from the parks Hub. People were afraid to come into the park because it was all closed in.”
Ray has been planting African Marigolds from his garden. Joe is busily digging and getting rid of weeds, he’s even named a part of the bowling green, ‘Joe’s Corner’, where he’s cut down the overgrowth, found rocks and is creating a beautiful rockery. Jim’s neighbour has donated a lot of plants. Blackcurrant plants have been donated by the allotments to create an edible border.
When Jim, Joe and Ray are working on the park, many people stop to ask what they are doing and tell them how good it looks.
The park has also received funding from the local Community Forum to purchase picnic benches for disabled people, allowing for wheelchairs to fit under the benches.