Plymouth Food Cooperative Connections
This project has been awarded £252,500 to host food support schemes to help address the cost-of-living issues here in Plymouth, while Nudge, the community benefit society based in Union Street, has received £470,940 to lead a partnership on work to open up empty buildings in Stonehouse to new community uses.
Cooperative Connections is part of a city-wide approach to addressing issues of food insecurity. The project includes:
Six new Food Co-ops: food co-ops are organised and run by their members based on co-operative principles. They meet weekly on a pop-up basis and enable their members to buy inexpensive but nutritious food and learn new skills. There is also signposting to additional cost-of-living support.
Two social supermarkets: These are larger, take up a permanent space and are open twice a week. Run by Members, they are similar to a normal shopping environment, but there’s a small annual membership fee as well as a weekly fee for a set number of items. They are not a replacement for standard shops but aim to supply the basics, with complementary additional cost-of-living wrap-around support.
A sophisticated food transport vehicle with ambient, chilled and frozen compartments will support these new endeavours.
Small scale manufacturing of pasta type sauces, jams, chutneys and preserves from left over fresh fruit and vegetables will also be trialled as part of the scheme.
In addition to this, work continues apace on the Plymouth Food Security Collective initiative which hopes to bulk buy and distribute foodstuffs for food support work, food co-ops and social supermarkets.
The Collective will be organised on co-operative principles and is part of a shift away from food aid to a food access Alliance model, which will feature a referrals system, an access portal with helpline and more of an emphasis on wrap-around services to support people away from needing help to get food.
A semi community supermarket model has already been piloted at Four Greens in Whitleigh and two food Co-ops set up in North Prospect and Plymouth university.
Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, Cooperative Development and Communities said: “These are projects that have already been doing some great work within our most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. No one should be struggling to put food on their plates, but it is a sad fact of life today that this is real issue for many people, especially with the cost of living.
“But there are ways to access cheap nutritious food for those who need it and this funding will help these groups carry on these brilliant projects as well as invest more in equipment to continue their work well into the future.”
Sharing Communities project
This project is led by Nudge Community Builders who received £470,940 for the delivery of their UK Shared Prosperity project. Based on Union Street, Stonehouse, the project will allow them to continue their plan to open up C103, a former nightclub that has been empty for some years, to create a new community asset and space for a wide range of vital community activities.
Their ambition is to create a space for underrepresented communities to celebrate their culture. This will be supported by growing their training offer, create new businesses and build stronger awareness and understanding between communities.
They will also work with Plymouth Energy Community Trust to develop and trial a DIY energy survey and carry out technical appraisals for community buildings.
Feeling safe in our community
The project will target improvements to the design and management of the built landscape environment aiming to design out crime. Utilising the existing ‘Street Safe’ platform combined with additional information and intelligence from stakeholders, a board will consider where in the city residents, visitors, business or professionals have concerns surrounding safety as a result of the environment. The project will consider implementing new and or improved street lighting, deployment of re-deployable CCTV solutions, vegetation management, graffiti removal etc. Funding may also be utilised to support community groups via consultation with Community Builders, teams involved in the Green Space Plan and Plymouth Octopus Project.
This project will focus on physical environmental interventions, led by communities to improve the feeling of safety when in the public realm, whilst also aiming to increase local ownership and pride.
St Levan park flood relief scheme
A cross-department design team has recently been formed within Plymouth City Council (PCC) to consider how it might be possible to reduce the frequent surface water flooding that occurs in the St Levan area of the city, which has a direct effect on residents, a number of whom have been flooded. The team will also consider how the surface water that collects in St Levan Park might be better stored. In addition, the team will consider how the park’s appearance and biodiversity can be improved.
Plymouth Cattewater port development study
The commercial port of Plymouth is at capacity in providing space and berthing options. This project will play a key role into the ambitions of future proofing the Port in Plymouth and will be able to contribute to the offshore renewable industry in the coming decades of which the South West Ports will be integral in supporting.
This project will look at how Plymouth’s ports can be developed. Initially, the will be to establish the feasibility of developing currently unused space in the harbour for port operations. The space adjacent to Victoria Wharf within the Cattewater has been identified, which would provide much needed additional berthing and cargo storage. The proposed area is clear of the main channel.
Following on from this, the project will look to begin site investigation works to ensure that development of the area can be done rapidly.
Plymouth Port Strategy
A consultant will be appointed by Plymouth City Council to produce a port strategy document highlighting the ports currents provision, future opportunities and how the ports of Plymouth are a valuable resource in attracting external funding and endorsement.
A brochure/prospectus will be created to publicise the value of the ports to Plymouth, the region and its economy. The material will outline the projects to be delivered their phasing and expected outcomes and deliverables thereby attracting inward investment from the public and private sector.
Skills 4 Plymouth – skills pilot
The focus will support people furthest from the labour market as well as green investment by addressing the demand for green skills. The project will primarily focus on the following interventions:
Supporting economically inactive people to overcome barriers to work by providing cohesive, locally tailored support including access to basic skills (E33)
Supporting people furthest from the labour market to access basic, life and career skills undertaking activities such as enrichment and volunteering in the community (E34, E35) and skills to progress in work and to fund local skills needs (E38, E39).
Love Plymouth
A joint project by Plymouth City Centre Company, Destination Plymouth and Plymouth Waterfront; the city’s two Business Improvement Districts to attract more visitors, workers and residents into the city, restore pride and revive the high street with a particular emphasis on the city centre and a greener waterfront.
All delivery is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.