Local Rep Report July – September 2021
A word of thanks
After more than three decades building the Enthusiasm Trust and ten years with Allenton Big Local, Joe Russo is moving on. His vision, passion and commitment for the area helped establish Allenton Big Local in the early days. His contribution to the partnership has helped to ensure it has made the biggest impact possible for residents. Thank you Joe and best wishes for the years ahead.
The big 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. Allenton Big Local 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
There have been a few other changes these last months, as well as Joe Russo moving on. The partnership has renewed face to face six weekly meetings, with the option for members to join remotely if more convenient. Minutes are posted on the website. Edith Lang has been elected as chair after Nicola Camp stood down. Margaret Woodbridge and Heather Russo are joint-vice chairs, making for focused and energised leadership into this final phase for Allenton Big Local. And a new resident member, Nikita Biggs has now joined the partnership. Paul Brookhouse has stepped down as plan co-ordinator. His work and support were greatly valued by the partnership. Recruitment to the post has begun and a preferred candidate identified.
Doing things
Quarterly management reports have been reviewed and agreed and these and the service level agreements are on the website along with good news stories of local action and change and newsletters. Nacro described how family referrals are rising again, having seen many children over the summer, helping them get involved in a range of activities. Enthusiasm has had a hectic summer with many young people from Allenton taking part in the summer programme running four days a week from 3pm to 7pm, with an evening meal before leaving. The Dance and street Outreach also continued throughout the summer. A trip for families to Skegness was a huge success and a much needed break for many. Derby Adult Learning also ran a programme of activities for children over the summer which was very positively received.
The latest newsletter was distributed in hard copy to most residents, with a delivery glitch meaning some did not get their copy – including the chair! A further 50 are being printed for community venue distribution, including through the Chatterbox café.
Looking ahead
The partnership has agreed and is excited about a replacement version of the traditional Christmas event with Santa and grotto. Orchestrated by St Martin’s, there will be a Nativity Photo opportunity, plus craft activity day, small presents for the children and subsidised food provided by Chatterbox Café.
To help Allenton Big Local continue to run efficiently, the partnership has put in place a timetable to look how the partnership is working, review the current plan and build the final plan due in April 2022, including community posters to capture what new issues Covid may have thrown up for residents that Allenton Big Local may be able to respond to. The partnership is also returning to a scrutiny model where all partner reports are looked at by all partnership members each quarter.
