Issue 02Spring 2013

Inside this issue...

page 2Calling all green fingered volunteers...

page 3Building Foundations through apprenticeships

page 4Amber Valley nature reserve updates

page 5Spotlight on Groundwork flagship projects - Creswell Crags

Silverwood Colliery Memorial unveiled

On 1 May, large crowds gathered at the former Silverwood Colliery site in Rotherham to see a monument and plaque for former pitmen unveiled. The ceremony began with music from the St Bernards School brass band before the memorial was unveiled by Rotherham Mayor, Councillor Dave Pickering. Among the guests was the oldest surviving miner who worked at the pit, Cyril Hodson, aged 93.

Thrybergh, Dalton and Ravenfield Parish Councils clubbed together to create the memorial to miners who worked at the pit and those who lost their lives there. Groundwork created the memorial and installed it. Costing £10,000, the memorial incorporates the colliery’s original pit wheel, fixed into a concrete and brick plinth also displaying the plaque. It was unveiled to coincide with International Workers’ Day.

One of the worst incidents

in the mine’s history happened in 1966 when two trains - one packed with workers and another carrying equipment to the coal face - collided underground. Ten men were killed and a further 29 injured.

A spokesman for the parish councils said: “The first shaft at Silverwood was sunk in 1900, with coal production commencing five years later.

“The pit was visited by King George V in 1912 and in 1975 Queen Elizabeth II visited the 220-metre deep coalface and was presented with a freshly cut piece of coal.

“Silverwood Colliery closed in 1994, bringing to an end over 90 years of coal production.”

Cllr Dave Pickering said:

“Thanks to the former members of the NUM, the Ogden Group which has

allowed the memorial on land now in their ownership, Groundwork which has renovated and undertaken the repairs to the former wheel, and finally thanks to all those in attendance today.”

After the colliery closed, its seams were worked from Maltby Colliery, which also shut earlier this year. There is now just a single working pit in South Yorkshire, at Hatfield, near Doncaster.For more than a decade after Silverwood closed, reclamation was carried out on the spoil heap.

After the work finished in 2006, the tip was grassed over and turned into a nature reserve.

After years of planning and effort the memorial is officially opened

The Groundwork Centre96 Creswell Road, ClowneChesterfield, DerbyshireS43 4NATel: 01246 570977Fax: 01246 813200creswell@groundwork.org.ukwww.groundwork-creswell.org.ukwww.crestra.co.uk

Creswell, Ashfield and Mansfield Newsletter

page 6Introduction to Gary Smith, Construction Contracts Manager

Work has started on the Kirkby-in-Ashfield community learning garden.

With support from the lottery-funded Local Food project, and volunteers from the local community the project is now well and truly up and running.

The Kirkby learning garden will provide somewhere for members of the community to learn more about growing their own vegetables.

The site, which had previously been a horticultural centre, has been vandalised and left to overgrow. The new injection of funding will allow the site to be given a new lease of life and brought back into use.

The project has a strong focus on climate change and its potential damaging

effects. Local residents, community groups and schools will be encouraged to care for the environment by nurturing plants and foods for use.

Groundwork will offer support and information packs on growing vegetables at home, storing food and reducing, reusing and recycling waste. Later in the year, Groundwork will be handing out these starter packs to help get people in Kirkby growing their own vegetables.

The project aims to involve as many people of all ages from the local community as possible; you can visit out our facebook page: Kingsway Community Learning Garden or phone Katy Gregory on 07971107694 to get involved.

Planting for the futureVolunteers required in Kirkby for new

climate change garden

Safe and Secure HomesLucky for some: 13!The number 13, commonly seen as a bad omen, brought quite the opposite effect for several residents of a Skegby street in March. The quiet street, located in a pleasant area of the village, has seen a few incidents over recent months.

To improve security, and reduce crime, the local crime prevention unit asked Groundwork to install its solar powered burglar alarms on the properties. The work was carried out through Groundwork’s long established Safe and Secure Homes (SASH) programme.

On 13 March 2013, engineer Bruce Bell installed alarms on 13 properties on the street. The alarms came at no cost to the residents who were all incredibly grateful for the new security measures. They were funded by the Ashfield Community Safety Partnership.

The SASH programme has been mainly operating in the Bolsover, Mansfield and Ashfield districts for over ten years. Here, it is the leading supplier of wire-free alarms, also installing wired systems, upgrades and annual maintenance. It works with the local district councils, Nottinghamshire Police and the Mansfield and Ashfield Prevention Against Crime groups.

Marsha Mann, Community Safety Officer, said: “We have seen significant falls in domestic burglaries in recent years and projects such as the SASH programme have played an important part in this.

“Professionally fitted alarms are very effective in helping to protect homes - research reveals that your home is much less likely to be the victim of a burglary if you have a correctly fitted and well maintained burglar alarm.”

Chris Thompson, Partnership Officer at Nottinghamshire Police added: “The crime figures show that work such as this is having a positive impact on levels of domestic burglary, which is very welcome. It is also important to us that residents feel safe and the alarms certainly help with this too.”

Nine apprentices working with Crestra have all recently taken a major step towards gaining their qualifications.

All have carried out the online City & Guilds GOLA examination which contributes towards the apprentices technical certificate.

John Holehouse acheived a Distinction; Bradley Boyle, Jordan Smith, Liam Moore, Liam Chapman and George Green gained a Merit; and Josh Hope, Josh Russell and Josh Atkinson all got a Pass.

The apprentices have also recently carried out community work which has helped them complete elements of their NVQ L2 in trowel occupations.

They have been working on a storage building at a Derbyshire cemetery which has been subject to several break ins over the previous

months.

The apprentices went out with Groundwork’s Quality Lead, Carl Mulvey, and also the Construction Assessor, David Tomblin, who was gathering evidence towards the NVQ element of the apprenticeship.

Work undertaken was to strengthen the building and prevent any further break ins. The apprentices put their new skills to use and built an internal wall around the inertia of the building using breeze blocks they

built in pillars to strengthen the wall and also tied it to the existing timber building with frame ties.

The building is now very secure and has been fitted with a steel container to store tools and this work should prevent any future break ins.

This was a really good task for the apprentices they gained practical experience, cleared several elements of their NVQ and also did a valuable service to the cemetery at the same time.

Groundwork updateslllKirklandsKirklands is a potential new project in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, working with a care home to create a garden. This will enable all generations within the community to come together and share the garden situated next to the home. It is hoped that the garden will provide some recreational facilities for residents staying at home and somewhere they can spend time relaxing with family and friends.

lllHasland regenerationThe renovations at Hasland Village Hall are nearly complete with a launch and celebration event planned in early June. Crestra is the principal contractor for the major refurbishment project. This will feature in the summer issue.

lllSummer eventsGroundwork will be attending a range of local events over the summer period. Please come along and meet staff, see examples of projects etc.

Lincs County Show 19-20 June; The Arc, Clowne 22 June.

Crestra is due to commence works on an exciting project at a woodland area in Derbyshire.

These works are to undertake significant environmental ground workings and construction to improve public access and activities throughout the woodland. The project is being carried out on behalf of Waingroves Community Woodland Trust and is funded by Biffa.

The village of Waingroves lies in the Amber Valley district area. The local resident owned community woodland comprises of 12 ½ acres of land, some on the site of the old village colliery, two

disused railway lines and a section of ancient beech woodland all linked by footpaths.

Groundwork worked with the Woodland Trust to submit a bid for funding from Biffa. This was successful and the project subsequently went out to tender with Crestra the winning contractor.

Once complete the project will create a a woodland where children and adults are free to roam and discover wildlife treasures including trees, flowers and birdsong for themselves and in organised groups.

BUILDING FOUNDATIONS18 months on and the nine apprentices employed by Crestra, and trained by Groundwork have gained a multitude of skills and experience

WAINGROVES WOODS

Woodlandworks

Crestra is due to starta significant developmentproject to improve access

and activities.

An important Local Nature Reserve located in the middle of the Cotes Park Industrial Estate, Pennytown Ponds acts as a green oasis for the people of Somercotes and neighbouring settlements. The reserve lies in a picturesque wooded valley and contains a series of four ponds linked by a small stream. The ponds are framed by woodland and there are extensive grasslands with one area managed as a wildflower meadow.

Grasshoppers and butterflies love this area for the range of plants that grow here, including orchids. The reserve attracts many species of birds, including Green and Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, the secretive Jay and the colourful Kingfisher.

The reserve, owned by Amber Valley Borough Council, is managed and maintained by Groundwork, with the assistance of the “Friends of Pennytown Ponds” group, under a service level agreement. Funding is also secured from a variety of sources to fund the environmental improvement projects which regularly take place at the reserve. In recent years, the site has won a Biffa Award for the many environmental improvements and the high level of active community involvement. The Green Flag award was gained in 2011 and retained during the judging in 2012.

Plans for this year include the ongoing maintenance of the meadows and woodland, a series of themed guided walks and a large partnership project, involving Amber Valley Borough Council, Groundwork, the “Friends of” Group, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency. The project will involve improvements to water quality, an environmental education programme with local businesses, the creation of a reed bed and the relocation of the dipping platform. The project is currently being costed and funding opportunities are being explored.

For further information contact Gary Wain, Community Wildspace Officer on 07866 678048 or gwain@groundwork.org.uk

Nature reserve update:Pennytown Ponds

Nature reserve update:Carr WoodCarr Wood was one of the first sites designated as a local Nature Reserve in Amber Valley. Today it comprises 4.2 hectares of mixed woodland, unimproved grassland and a large pond.

Groundwork manages the site on behalf of Amber Valley Borough Council working alongside the Friends of Carr Wood and Hammersmith Meadows group to maintain, manage and develop this important Local Nature Reserve. Groundwork has recently assisted the Friends of Group (FOG) with producing a constitution, opening a bank account and setting up a management committee.

The first funding bid was submitted and were successful in acquiring £750, which will contribute to three different projects. Firstly it will purchase timber to edge one of the main paths and stone to improve the path surface; secondly it will pay for sand and a liner for a new small wildlife pond we are developing in a small woodland glade we have created. The third project is the annual Christmas wreaths and decorations event; the funding will help towards the costs of environmental artists to lead the activities.

Another major project planned during 2013 is the regeneration of the main reserve pond. Project partners include Amber Valley Borough Council, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and the Carr Wood FOG, with additional input from the Environment Agency. The main tasks will be the removal of silt deposits from the pond, devise and install a new sluice gate at the pond outlet to control water levels, and plant up a new reed bed at the eastern, inlet, end of the pond. The draft project brief is currently being circulated for comments.

A series of seasonal nature walks will also take place during the year. The first of these is planned for Friday 7th June. A local Derbyshire Wildlife Trust members group will be joining us on the walk to discover more about the reserves industrial history, its current wildlife value and the management and development work undertaken on the reserve.

In the summer of 2012, Groundwork helped Creswell Crags to source funding for the addition of photo voltaic panels to the visitor centre.

Crestra, an MCS accredited installer, carried out the project. 72 solar electric panels were placed on the south facing roof of the centre

Also during this time, Groundwork contributed to a new series of attractions in a previously unused part of the site. Groundwork has completed the installation of a mammoth tusk bone structure, a wide planting area, installation of

boulders and re-seeding around the entrance area of the bone structure.

Further works also included the creation of a stone fire pit, complete with a pad locked steel plate. This will form an interesting new feature that will be utilised in the summer of 2013 and beyond.

The current phase of works sees the creation of a new decking area to expand the capacity of the current cafe, providing an outdoor sun terrace for visitors to enjoy the views across the crags meadow.

Groundwork flagship sites - Creswell Crags

Environmental improvements

Groundwork has been responsible for designing a large proportion ofenvironmental improvements at the Creswell Crags site.

The long standing partnership started several years ago when work was carried out to help preserve the prehistoric caves that surround the lake. These are the caves that form part of the tour that visitors take.

Further works included the creation of a recreation and education area,wildflower meadow, a picnic area, a shelter with a living ‘green roof’ and asmall amphitheatre.

Groundwork dredged the lake and improvements were made to access,

paths and the car park, next to the visitor centre.

Groundwork worked in partnershipwith Creswell Heritage Trust and Severn Trent Water to improve Creswell Crags with the ultimate aim of achieving World Heritage Site status, ranking it in importance with Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall.

Groundwork Creswell, Ashfield and Mansfield has been involved in many projects that have seen a series of phases. Over the years these phases have contributed to the transformation of the site. One such site focussed on in this issue is the world famous Creswell Crags...

Solar power, mammoth tusks and a terrace? Odd combination!

Projects to watch out for...Groundwork is involved in a wide range of projects that are in their early stages of development. Coming up over the next few months we have...

West Bassetlaw Children’s Centre, Langold - An Awards for All bid was recently submitted. The bid asks for funding for a new piece of play equipment. Oaktree Primary School - An Awards for All bid has been submitted and we anticipate a favourable response in the near future. The school is particularly interested in environmental matters and is keen to engage pupils in discovering about threatened heathland habitats. Pleasley Terrace Lane - This will support the installation of play equipment, necessary safety surfacing and general landscape improvement at this recreation area. The existing playground serves a large number of local children in a deprived community. Merryweather, Southwell - Crestra is now onsite developing play opportunities and enhancing the biodiversity value of the area. It will be planting an area with flowers and shrubs chosen to attract wildlife. Barnby Road, Newark - Work will start on this former school playing field in June with a view to it being opened before the summer holidays.

Groundwork will be running a walking festival in Amber Valley and Erewash from 14th-29th September.

Grow Wild - a project ran by Groundwork UK with Kew Gardens to pick four sites for a public vote on Countryfile, the winner gets £120K. RMBC-owned Herringthorpe Valley Park is the local hope!

The Rotherham-based Lifeline initiative is to start with a new cohort. The project engages those recovering from substance misuse by offering a training programme one day a week for 12 weeks.

Head office:96 Creswell RoadClowneChesterfieldDerbyshire S43 4NATel: 01246 570977Fax: 01246 813200

Worksop office:Rear of Sandy Lane Retail ParkBabbage WayWorksopNotts S80 1UJFax: 01909 479695

Key Groundwork contacts...

E-mail: creswell@groundwork.org.ukWebsite: www.groundwork-creswell.org.uk www.crestra.co.uk www.crestrasolar.co.uk

Giving Youth a helping hand

Groundwork is one of the prime contractors for the Education Funding Agency’s Youth Contract in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Derby city.

The programme provides support for 16 and 17 year-olds to help them access training and employment and then to stay ‘On-Track’.

Groundwork can help young people that are:• 16 or 17 years old;• not in school, training or work;• with no more than one GCSE A*-C grade.

This is a unique programme and Groundwork offers a tailormade package of support for the young person.

Groundwork can provide:• long-term support and advice from a skilled mentor;• access to courses, activities and facilities to build confidence and skills – and have fun;• help with finding college courses, apprenticeships orwork;• backup for six months to make sure the right path has been chosen, and to provideassistance on any potential problems.

Trevor WittsExecutive Director GCAM/Crestra Ltd

Specific enquiries to:

Darren PollardConstruction, housing and landscape

Ian StimpsonDevelopment and community

Caralynn GaleEducation, training and skills

Lindsey-Jane BuxtonMarketing and communications

How did you come to work for Groundwork and when did you start?It was my wife that spotted the job on the internet (so you can blame her for having to put up with me). I was looking to change jobs because I was fed up with all the travelling my old job entailed, and

also the very long days. Having travelled the length and breadth of the country for the last four and a half years. Working for a local business involved in the communities around where I live really appealed to me. What does your job involve?The main area of my job is managing contracts on site from start through to project completion, working with clients, architects, residents etc.

Managing supervisors and sub-contractors on site dealing with any issues or problems that may arise, ordering plant and materials that are required to complete the project.

I also get involved with helping to price for work, producing PQQs and priced Bill of Quantities at the tender stage. What is your favourite part of the job?Two things here I think. Firstly the variety of work my job entails on a daily basis, and secondly seeing the finished article when the project is completed. What do you hope to do in the future?Retire one day !! What do you like to do outside of work?Supporting Sheffield United, I’ve been a season ticket holder for over 30 years and I am a member of the Supporters Executive Committee. Keeping chickens I do this jointly with my mate Baz we have approx 200 chickens, 10 Ducks, 12 Guinea Fowl and our motto is Baz and Gaz eggs straight from the chickens’ bottom! Walking with my wife and our 2 Jack Russell dogs Liz and Beth.

Groundwork staff spotlight: Gary Smith, Construction Contract Manager