Our New Challenge after 12 Years, to raise the profile of the Ponteland Community Partnership, the aim of putting the heart and community spirit back into the Civil Parish of Ponteland.
See Invitation below our “Major Event promoting Democracy Week”
A panel to include Guy Opperman and local students Don’t miss out
Why are we going to do this? Lifestyle and expectations are very different now to when this group was set up in the early 2000’s-there is a need to rethink and refocus how we achieve our goals of improving the quality of life.
How are we going to achieve this? by a Re-Launch of the Ponteland Community Partnership and by linking this with the 10 year Anniversary in celebration of the first project and most successful project the creation of the Pont News & Views. We will continue to consult with the community for ideas, opinions and seeking new projects whilst improving the communication through the Pont News & Views and creating a Website which goes live from the 1st September 2015.
www.pontelandcommunitypartnership.co.uk
We strive to develop wider and stronger links with other local organisations for the benefit of the partnership, currently this includes the Town Council, Ponteland Neighbourhood Plan Group, Civic Society, Ponteland Community Trust, Rotary Club, Ponteland Lions, U3A, Youth Service, Youth Partnership Workers, Northumberland Clubs for Young People, UKyouth, Community Youth Police Manager, Ageing Well group, Schools, staff & students and Businesses.
Our group would welcome new members to attend our monthly meetings usually the third Wednesday of each month at the Town Council Offices (always advertised in the Pont News & Views, What’s on page)
When is this all going to start-actually we have already started, even though the date of the Re-Launch is the 1st September, in August the Youth Service put on 3 additional sessions at the all weather pitch and a BBQ. We also now have results from a youth survey carried out by the Youth Service team telling us, what and when young people between the ages of 9-16, would appreciate being provided in Ponteland. All of this will help future planning. The results show what area they live in, their age, what current activities they have in their spare time, do they visit the youth club in Ponteland, what other activities would they prefer and when would they like them provided. Briefly, 70% live in the civil parish of Ponteland with others coming from Newcastle, Morpeth and Hexham. Over 75% are within the 11-16 age band and 20% 10 and under. Their preferred activities consist of 68% outside activity with football, rugby and general sport with computer games and TV for the remainder. 60% have visited the youth club and from those taking part their choices for new activities would be football, out with friends and computer games supplied on Saturday, Sunday and Thursday. Thanks to the Youth Service and young people for supplying this information.
On 1st Sept the website goes live giving loads of information about the group, its members and the activities past and present. www.pontelandcommunitypartnership.co.uk
Invitation to come and join us
“Ponteland Question Time”
Our Major Event, part of a National Event promoting “Democracy Week” aimed at young people and politics.
Come and join us-come early 6pm for a seat Free ADMISSION
“Ponteland Question Time” 23rd September
From 6.30-8.15pm at the Memorial Hall.
The new Chairman was invited to take part in a democracy training programme provided by UKyouth, once trained to fulfil the obligation this knowledge was to be passed on to at least 5 young people who could demonstrate how to use these democracy skills-and this is where the idea of a “Ponteland Question Time” debate came from challenging the youth versus the adults.
None of this would have been possible without the support of Guy Opperman MP and Dan Brown agreeing to take time out from their busy schedules, to take an active role on the panel and thanks to these talented young students from the High School, the Head teacher and staff for their supporting. it.
Thanks should also be given to the main sponsor, Dobsons Estate Agent they too have played a massive part in supporting the Community Partnership throughout and thanks are also given to Cowells for supplying the displays at the Memorial Hall.
This is really the flagship of the Re-Launch the format is a question time panel discussion with audience participation. The panel, divided into two parts, consists of Guy Opperman, plus 2 local dignitaries, three 6th formers from the High School Debating Society and chaired by Dan Brown ex head boy at the High School and creator of the European Youth Parliament UK. We shall need a good cross section of the community to attend to give a good balance to the event. We will provide seating for up to 300 people from the community, VIP’s, local organisations, Town Council, Schools staff & students. Discussion topics will already have been agreed between panel members, no other issues will be discussed.
The aim is for 4 Topics to be debated, such as:
Topic 1 – Should we lower the voting age to 16?
Topic 2 – Has University and Further Education become too expensive?
Topic 3 – Do young people have a voice in Ponteland?
Topic 4 – How can we bridge the gap between young and old and bring them closer together?
A truly unique opportunity to take part in a debate between local students, who represented the High School at the European Youth Parliament UK and Guy Opperman.
What are we about?
The Ponteland Community Partnership was set up under the Local Government Act 2000, in late 2003 with the first committee taking charge in 2004. The group was set up as an unincorporated association of like minded volunteers who share a common idea to identify and improve the quality of life for the community of Ponteland.
Our Aims are:
- To identify activities, aspirations and projects for those who live or work in Ponteland that will improve their quality of life no matter what their age.
- To access funding and support to provide for these activities or projects.
- To work and share ideas with other like minded organisations.
Past Successes
To date this group set up the first edition of the Pont News & Views in 2005 and for over 10 years it has seen through a recession, local government reorganisation and many local challenges and still it fulfils its original objectives of providing the community with a major source of current local news, advertising and general information.
Over a period of years, the Community Partnership worked with a number of organisations to secure funding for a project to construct a recreational area at Callerton Lane, Stage 1 was the Play Area completed in 2009 and Stage 2 was first completed in 2014. This group has also assisted other organisations with their successful funding applications.
In the summer of 2012 the Ponteland Community Partnership hosted a major community event due to the unrest of residents. They were experiencing a number of major developers showing considerable interest in building hundreds of houses to the east and south of the village. All this coincided with Northumberland County Council’s first consultation on their “Local Plan” which showed large areas of development around Ponteland and soon after the Town Councils draft for community consultation. At the community event attendees were asked to complete a questionnaire and from this event the community created 2 independent groups, the Greenbelt Group and the Neighbourhood Plan Group.
Which other groups have we supported in their funding applications?
How much have they raised?
Memorial Hall £10,000
Cricket Club £10,000
Methodist Church £6,000
Football Club £1,000
Carpet Bowls Club £552
United Reform Church £10,000
Parish Council £6,000
5 young people (£100 each) £500
Friends of the Park £2,000
Bowls Club £20,000
Callerton Lane Play Park £65,000
Callerton Lane Skate Park £37,000
A Grand Total of £193,500 since 2004
What’s to come next?
1st October the 10 year Anniversary of the Pont News & Views
Looking ahead into Autumn
The group will welcome new members to support the existing committee which meets each month; dates etc are promoted in the PN&V each month. The group is keen to work with other interested parties who share common views on possible forthcoming events, activities and projects for all age groups, with the aim of putting the heart back into the civil parish of Ponteland and improving the quality of life for the residents. Ideas for activities suitable for families and the elderly are now being considered-if you have any good suggestions please get in touch through the website. To support this we are considering sending out a questionnaire to identify the things that really matter to people who live and work in Ponteland Civil Parish that will improve the quality of life. This information once returned would give us the evidence needed to prioritise community aspirations and apply for the required funding in the future. The group are keen to work with local businesses that can sponsor or support any activities/events/projects nothing would be too small to be considered.