About Us
Making A Difference
Ways To Give
Apply For A Grant
Professional Advisors
Foundation News
Campaigns
Chelston Park Friends Group is an organisation of local Torquay residents involved in the regeneration of their local parks. The group is based in a low income area with very few free or affordable activities. Most children living in the area are from low income families, with the majority of homes belonging to housing associations. Children's experiences are limited due to low incomes and they are therefore denied access to free time activities that other children may take for granted. There is a lack of affordable sports and play facilities for children to make use of or partake in.
Torbay is ranked as the 94th most deprived authority in England, with over one quarter (27.8%) of the Torbay population living in an area that is within the top 20% of the most deprived in England in terms of employment deprivation. Although well used by the local children, their local parks were in desperate need of restoration and repair. In making their applications for funding, the primary aims of the group were to see their children happily playing in well equipped park areas and to deter them from hanging around the local shops
The group has received two grants totalling £9,749 from Devon Community Foundation.
Their first grant of £7,000 went towards the cost of a shelter and skateboard facility, whilst their second grant of £2,749 was used to install special needs play equipment at Mallock Road Playpark.
Before these projects were completed the children played on the streets and congregated in residential areas. They became involved in petty crimes of disorder and damage and the local residents felt intimidated by l
arge groups of young people congregating on street corners. They wanted to provide the children with a safer area away from the street, but near to their homes and with facilities to reduce the number of incidents involving them. The aim was also to reduce the "fear of crime" suffered by the older residents.
The projects instilled a real sense of community pride amongst the children of Chelston. They were involved from stage one in the planning of what they would like to see in their local parks. The group even held a fun day for local children to voice their opinions on their likes and dislikes and their hopes for new facilities in the parks.
Pictures courtesy of the Torbay Herald Express
.