RESIDENTS across central and east Greenock East and Central shared their ideas at a series of Our Place Our Future (OPOF) roadshows held to encourage them to take an active role in creating positive change in their community.
The OPOF programme team delved into what people feel might be missing or would like to see more of within their neighbourhoods, and say there have been positive outcomes already.
They are now working directly with several new groups as they progress through the process of setting up. These cover a range of themes social spaces for isolated adults and older people, parents with children who have additional support needs and a crochet club.
People have expressed an interest in volunteering and, encouraged by support provided by the team, are keen to become involved as group organisers or develop their own ideas.
Bill Clements, OPOF programme manager, said: “We have found that some people, especially the elderly and those with mobility issues, feel very cut off in their neighbourhood, partly because of poor public transport links leaving them unable to access groups and integrate into the wider community.
“Yet there really is a great community spirit and, not surprisingly, we’ve found that it is often a lack of resources stopping people from developing new activities or services for themselves. We have been so encouraged to meet people with a real desire to tackle key barriers head on by establishing groups or by volunteering their time, skills and interests. We’re here to help them get their great ideas off the ground and succeed.”
The roadshows were the first in a range of approaches taken by the OPOF team to meet face to face with residents. Having reviewed the variety of topics discussed, the team are following up by contacting everyone directly to provide feedback on their findings and details of progress. They will be out and about meeting more locals in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
The Our Place Our Future Greenock East and Central area covers Gibshill, Strone, Weir Street, Cartsdyke, Bridgend, Greenock Town Centre, Wellpark, Drumfrochar, Broomhill and Prospecthill.
The community programme is being run by CVS Inverclyde until the end of November 2020, thanks to funding of around £120,000 from the Scottish Government’s European Social Fund.
