Black Country leisure project wins double regeneration prize at RegenWM Awards

A groundbreaking Black Country initiative designed to improve the health and fitness of hard-to-reach groups in the area has capped a memorable first year by winning a prestigious double regeneration award last night.

‘Increasing Opportunities’ beat off competition from 90 other entries from across the West Midlands to secure the RegenWM Chair’s Prize, adding to its earlier ‘Good Practice in Equality and Diversity’ title.

The project - a joint partnership between Sandwell Primary Care Trust, Harborne Parish Lands Charity, Sandwell Leisure Trust, Agewell and the Health Development Network – impressed the independent judging panel with its programme of leisure activities that appeal to under-represented groups, including older Muslim women, African Caribbean/Pakistani elders and elderly people.

A host of cultural and society barriers were overcome thanks to the introduction of  a range of multi-activity tasters followed by the appointment of female gym instructors, multi-lingual staff, securing endorsements from community groups and subsidising session costs.

This resulted in a major increase in the number of people, especially from ethnic minorities, using the service and subsequently an outreach exercise programme has been launched in Smethwick.

Gerard Coyne, Chair of RegenWM, was delighted with the quality of this year’s entries.

“With the current economic climate firmly in mind, I am delighted that we are able to once again recognise the success of a wide variety of regeneration projects that provide long-lasting physical, social and economic benefits to the region.

“Now more than ever we need to focus on how we work together to ensure regeneration plays a key role in bringing the West Midlands out of recession. The entries and subsequent winners have displayed the innovation and best practice that we need to learn from and adopt going forward.”

He continued: “Increasing Opportunities is a great example of a cross cutting initiative with a partnership approach and has great potential to be rolled out even further.”

Sandwell Leisure Trust’s Jasmine Heir was delighted with the double success: “This was a very ambitious project and one that required a real community approach – securing the two prizes is testament to the hard work and invention of everyone involved.

“Attendance at all of the classes remains consistently high, we even had 100 people at a special ladies day and a ‘learn to swim’ course has just been launched. The potential is huge!”

The Prizes evening, which was held at RegenWM’s Millennium Point offices in Birmingham, also recognised a string of other organisations, with each winner receiving a certificate and £1000 towards their project.

These included: 
 
• Best Regeneration Team

Hereford Council’s Economic and Community Services Team

• Creating Outstanding Places

Fazeley Studios, Wolverhampton Youth Space and Blue Planet at Chatterley Valley

• Environment and People

 ‘Our Low Carbon Journey’ led by Whittington and Fisherwick Environment   Group

• Good Practice in Equality and Diversity

‘Increasing Opportunities’

• Most Transferable Good Practice

‘Connection to Opportunities’ run by East Birmingham and North Solihull Regeneration Zone

• Successful Community Engagement

‘Goodbye to Summer’ Lantern Parade in North Lichfield

Adrian Passmore, Chief Executive of RegenWM, concluded: “The West Midlands is brimming with regeneration excellence and I’m delighted that our winners demonstrate the diversity we have in the region, ranging from community centric projects and major economic strategies to the UK’s first BREEAM ‘outstanding’ rated logistics building.”

Established six years ago, RegenWM promotes and develops regeneration excellence in the West Midlands by improving the skills of those involved in the sector and providing information and intelligence.

The organisation, now seen by many as a UK leader in its field, also works with partners and providers to match training programmes, needs and opportunities. This is none more evident than through its Regeneration Placement Service that has so far brokered over 130 positions, helping improve graduate retention considerably.

For further information, please visit www.regenwm.org