From small beginnings....
The idea of creating a community volunteering project around Cockshot Dene came out of concerns by local residents about anti-social behaviour problems in the Dene. Local councillors alerted Northumberland County Council's Community Safety and Anti-social Behaviour Officers to problems with young people drinking and ‘hanging out’ in particular hot spots in the woods, and were concerned that it had become an underused area by other residents due to safety fears. It seems now that anti-social behaviour has decreased a little in this area, though the wood is still seen as a no-go area and the litter would suggest that it still being used as a drinking haunt.
The Probation Service and Tynedale Council were involved in making some early physical improvements (including litter collection and clearance of delelict fencing etc), and then the Volunteer Centre Prudhoe was approached to see if we could help with the next steps. We brought together Northumberland County Council, Prudhoe Children's Centre, West Wylam Residents Association and Tyne and Wear Museums as partners in the project - and we are now all working to involve local people in planning longer term improvements to the Dene. With everyone's ideas and enthusiasm we hope to bring the Dene back into use for the enjoyment of all.
The first stage (a big one!) is to create a space for children to play in and explore. We have secured funds from the Northumberland County Council's Playbuilder programme to make a natural play area, putting in features which blend with the woods but are great places to play. We aim to have this up and running by March 2010. We are asking local children and young people for their ideas for play, and we would like to hear from adults too - about what you would like to see there, and what you wouldn't!
