THE new Blacon Community Trust celebrated its launch this week with an event held at Dee Point Primary School on the estate.
Guests including Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer, officers and members of the community were welcomed by Dave Williams, headteacher of nearly 20 years at the school on Blacon Point Road.
Mr Williams is one of five trustees, along with Ross Broadbent, Jayne Price, Toni Dale and Carole Harrison, but more trustees are needed to take the project forward.
The aims of the BCC are to promote collaboration between groups working in Blacon, ranging from the likes of the boxing club, schools, the army cadets, the police, the council, with an invite to any member of the community to participate.
Amongst its aims is to improve wellbeing, mental health and opportunities for people on the estate.
The Blacon Community Trust (BCC) is a new group completely separate to previous bodies that may have operated with the same or similar name.
It is a legally constituted charitable organisation and is undergoing charitable registration.
As well as recruiting trustees, the trust is also looking to set up an advisory panel to hear the voice of the community.
Addressing attendees at the launch event, attended by the The Standard, Mr Williams said it was important for people to put themselves forward whatever their background or experience.
He said he was not interested in politics or community groups being fractured – but instead wanted to bring everybody together with the common goal of trying to improve life for everyone on the estate.
Mr Williams said: “That’s what we want – an open door invite. This is a big community and it can be quite complicated.
“What we want to do is make sure there is an open door policy.
“You can look at all the deprivation indicators but these things are not improving.
“We’ve got to do what we believe our community wants.”
Whilst this week’s event was a ‘soft launch’ for the trust a number of pilot events are already underway such as sport for health to promote wellbeing, exercise and health.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here