Local News

February 9, 2020

Farley Hill Consultation

A fresh Consultation with Farley Hill residents is due to start this year 2020.

We would like to ask as many residents to please participate in the survey so that the Farley Big Local Partnership can gain a deeper understanding of the priorities and aspirations of a wide range of local people. With the aim to deliver on what the resident want to see happening on the estate.

What do we do next?

Let’s talk about how we can invest in Farley Hill to make it an even better place to live, grow and work.

Your opinions matter

We’d love your feedback and you could WIN Vouchers worth £50 inc.1x Mall Voucher, 1x Nandos Voucher & 1x Debenhams Voucher.

Please take a few minutes to complete our online survey
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/FarleyBigLocalFinal

Alternatively you can complete the survey at…

Age Concern Luton Charity Shop

Farley Hill Community Centre

Post your completed survey in the secure box.

St John the Baptist Church

Join us on February 18th from 11am – 3pm, where you can speak to a member of FBL and complete a survey. You can get free glitter tattoos and there will be free arts and crafts activities. St John the Baptist Church, Rotheram Ave, Luton LU1 5PP

The Survey closes Friday 28th February 2020 and don’t forget to include your contact details for your chance to win a £50 voucher!

January 17, 2020

Julie’s Story

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When the school holidays come around, for many families it’s time for barbecues, trips away and days out. But for families like Julie’s, it’s a time when the free school meals stop and money is tighter.

Thankfully for Julie, a lifeline came her way when her local church invited her to their TLG Make Lunch club. “I had tried a few churches in the area,” says Julie “but the lunch club helped my kids so obviously I wanted to keep going.”

Ever since Julie first came to Make Lunch, it’s given her an opportunity to become part of a nurturing community. Not only does Julie attend, but she’s become fully part of the team getting stuck in to make the club happen.

“I’ve been coming for about two years and I just love mingling with the kids and the other mums. I’m there from 8 o’clock in the morning waiting for deliveries to come. I help put tables out and I make sure everything’s ready for when the children arrive.”

According to Katja, who leads the lunch club, Julie is now part of the furniture!

“She is the most loving person and what she has she freely gives. Julie is there every time we ask her to help and whatever needs doing, she does it. She’s such a diamond and is so precious to us”.

Make Lunch has taken Julie on a real journey and the church has become a place she truly belongs to.

“It was just a part of the time in my life where I felt like I needed God a bit more. Everything just fell into place as I got involved with what was going on at the church!”

Make Lunch helps me to have to only think about one meal for my kids each day in the holidays. It’s a huge help!

Read the full article, Julie’s Story »

January 7, 2020

Farley Big Local Christmas Social

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The Partnership were all invited to a Christmas Social. Partnership Members met up to celebrate their commitment, time and efforts. Every Partnership member received a certificate to celebrate their success and hard work over the years.

The partnership is made of a majority of residents, who all volunteer for FBL. Board members meet up once a month for a big partnership meeting. In between of board meeting the partnership also have subgroup meetings. A lot of their time is dedicated to FBL & the Chair is proud to be chairing such an amazing partnership board.

Well Done to the Farley Big Local Partnership and all that they have achieved to date! #WeWantTheBestForOurCommunity

Christmas Social Gallery

December 20, 2019

Visit from Matt Leach, Local Trust Chief Executive

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On Friday 6th December, we welcomed Matt Leach the Chief Executive of Local Trust, the national organisation which oversees the work of all Big Local areas across the country.

On his visit to Farley Hill, he met with the trustees, staff, volunteers and local residents to hear our stories and our achievements over the past few years.

Below you can find a programme of his tour of the area and find out how our community came together to greet Matt.

Farley Hill Tour Programme

11.00 Introduction to Partnership Members at Moonbucks Community Café

Farley Hill, 17 Market Square, LU1 5RD.

11.30 We had a tour at the Farley Hill Community Centre

A Partnership member told Matt Leach more about the Community Festival, she spoke through the report and a list of funded Community Chest projects. Leigh-anne who is one of FBL’s Partnership members did a quick kettlebell exercise session with Matt Leach and his colleague Ryan Herman. She also spoke about the benefits which the FBL grant funding has to her Kettlebell class.

12.00 We visited Farley Hill Mosque

Hafiz, a resident on the Partnership Board organised a Meet and Greet with the Imaan at Farley Hill. Some ideas were shared for improving the surrounding area.

12.15 We walked down Whipperley Way

The Concept ideas which the sub group have been working on for the Green and Open Spaces were highlighted during Matts visit and they all walked down the different project sites. Matt Leach was excited to hear about the potential projects for Farley and is looking forward to find out what the Partnership Board decide.

12.30 We went to visit Jill Jenkins Court

Dave Broux who has worked with the Seniors at the residential home spoke to the visitors about the FBL funded Community Chest project. The project was based on Canvases of Farley Hill/ Luton.

12.50 We went to visit St Johns Church / Farley Food Growing Hub

Grayson who is the Eden Community Engagement officer, walked the guests through the Food Hub and the fantastic work the community have been doing.

13.20 A visit to Whipperley Infants Academy

Amelia Whitehouse, the Headteacher at the School did a walk around the school, shared some statistics about the young people and told the guests more on the Prince William Award Programme which was funded by FBL from Sept 18 – July 19.

14.00 Finally we had lunch at the Stockwood Park Discovery Centre

All available Partnership members met up for lunch.

Visit from Matt Leach Gallery

September 30, 2019

Rebranding Farley Big Local

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Farley Big Local decided it was time for a refresh of our branding and we’re delighted with our new logo. What do you all think?

August 30, 2019

Legacy Away Day

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The Legacy Away Day took place on Wednesday 14th August.

This was about:

The day was really productive and much of the conversation was lively and discussions were positive. The group focussed on the aims to:

think about legacy and sustainability;
consider whether there is a need for continued income to contribute to this legacy;
explore the viability of any investment that may have potential to generate a continuing return;
explore what organisational requirements might be needed to manage investment, secure and distribute income if applicable.

In discussing what legacy is and means for Farley Big Local the group decided on a number of tenants / core ingredients. They group agreed whether physical or virtual, the legacies of FBL must be a vehicle rather than an end in itself to:

continue, strengthen and build for 10s of years
impact all and be generational:
improve and add value to the quality of life for people in Farley Hill:
improve opportunity for better health, wealth and happiness:
be sustainable and funded for generations:
be community led & driven:
influences and maximises benefit of opportunities through partners, developers, statutory services and government policy:
help deliver the FBL vision.

Equally in discussing current plan ideas the group agreed actions to deliver legacy will:

be deliverable by 2026;
identify links, dependencies, opportunities for cross funding, identify additional funding available, identify partner roles and commitment and have a deadline by which decisions are made to ‘say no,
be sustainable

The Legacy Away Day Facilitator will be writing up the discussions from the day and circulating them along with next steps in the first week of September for discussion at the partnership meeting on the 11th September 19.