Lottery funding for Growing Communities initiative

An innovative project to create happier and healthier communities by involving people with their local open spaces has received nearly £660,000 from the Big Lottery Fund.

The Growing Communities programme will work with residents in the Northbrook area of Worthing and Eastbrook in Fishersgate and is the result of a partnership between Adur & Worthing Councils and The Conservation Volunteers charity (TCV).  

Growing Communities aims to harness the ideas and energy of local people and support them in improving the places in which they live, and in doing so, enhance their own health and opportunities.

It is among 1,903 projects across England sharing more than £50 million in National Lottery funding, announced today (June 13). More than £5 million of the funding goes to 201 projects in the South East.

The Growing Communities project will focus on underused open spaces in the area, working with the local community to understand their needs and supporting them to transform the spaces for people to enjoy for years to come.

Activities will be decided by the local communities themselves, but examples could include:

·        Setting up mini allotments

·        Courses and workshops on wildlife, trees and habitats

·        A Green Gym where volunteers get exercise by planting trees or creating ponds.

Councillor Val Turner, Worthing’s Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “I’m delighted we have received this funding, which will help us to achieve our vision for greater community involvement in our parks and open spaces which, in turn, will have a positive impact on health and wellbeing.

“We outline this ambition in Platforms for our Places, our three-year plan on how we aim to create prosperous, healthy, happy and connected communities.”

Councillor David Simmons, Adur’s Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, added: "We believe strongly in empowering people to play an active role in our communities to help them and their local areas to thrive.

“We’ve already been working with our communities in our parks and open spaces and I’m looking forward to building on our partnership with TCV.”

Darren York, TCV’s Chief Executive, said: "TCV believes that there are significant and lasting benefits to be derived - for people's health, prospects, communities and environment - by connecting people with outdoor places and with each other.

“After several years working in close partnership with local communities and Adur & Worthing Councils, this valuable support from the Big Lottery Fund will take our partnership to the next level. Growing Communities will provide a model for connecting people and outdoor places across the UK."