Shaping The Future — Hag Fold Leads The Way

Photograph:
Hello Hag Fold: Community members of all ages get together to talk about regeneration and the future.

Community–minded locals on an Atherton estate have been looking to the future with two major events aimed at improving the quality of life for everyone.

Regeneration was on the agenda recently when the Hag Fold estate’s Community Committee held its annual conference.

Entitled Hag Fold leads The Way, the conference saw residents of all ages join forces to discuss the big issues affecting the community.

The Community Committee is made up of volunteers from the estate who meet on a regular basis. The group talks to residents in a bid to find answers to local needs and priorities.

Hag Fold was the first community in the borough to set up a community committee, draw up a community charter and devise an action plan for improvement.

The conference saw volunteers, councillors and council officers converge to discuss projects that have been set up this year and to find new ideas for the year ahead.

The topics up for discussion at workshops included; children, young people and families, improving health, raising the community spirit and improving the neighbourhood.

The conference also provided an opportunity for the committee to thank all those people who have made a difference to community life over the past year.

Volunteers, businesses, the police and council workers were all praised for their ongoing contributions to Hag Fold.

In a separate event regeneration was again the topic for day when Hag Fold played hosts to residents from other Wigan communities to share success stories and swap ideas.

M embers of Atherton’s Single Regeneration Budget team — SRB5 Atherton Building Communities — welcomed their opposite numbers from SRB6 One Stop For Regeneration.

Chair of the SRB5 board, Cllr Sue Loudon said:

“This was the first time people from SRB5 and 6 have met to share and learn from each other.

“It’s great to see people who feel passionate about their communities getting together to talk about their success and share ideas with others.”

Cllr Loudon added:

“These events have also provided an opportunity for the groups to thank individuals and organisations who are helping residents to improve their communities.

“I think we can say there is plenty to look forward to with some great ideas and opportunities for the year ahead coming out of the conference.”

-ends-