Birmingham

West Heath Recreation Ground - awarded £8,500

The woodland close to West Heath recreation ground had become severely neglected and did not have any particular use except for being a place where local people could exercise their dogs. Located on Slingfield Road in West Heath, Birmingham the surrounding area is relatively deprived. The local community were keen to make the most of this small, discreet site, which they felt could be transformed to complement the proposed sports and recreational facility nearby.

Birmingham City Council was considering developing the area next to the site to provide more formal sporting facilities. It was agreed among the local community that some individuals might prefer casual exercise outdoors rather than take part in formal sports. The Barclays SiteSavers project complements this by providing an attractive environment for more informal physical activity such as walking or jogging.

Planning sessions organised by Groundwork established that the local authority would maintain the site and that the main priorities were to plant large trees and attractive flowers, create pathways and install dog bins. Nearby residents and Barclays staff took part in activities to improve the site together with the local nursery and people from the nearby day centre for the disabled.

This project has given local people the chance to learn new skills, meet others and introduce the improved site to the wider community. Many of the children involved visit the site regularly to see ‘their’ trees and flowers growing.