BUBBLE
Christine Charles,
Simon Coleman
and Dominic Small
Path to
success
Bubble, a website set up
by the council, is helping
people get together to
carry out community
projects. Tan Afzal reports.
O
ne such scheme saw a
group of residents joining
forces to raise money
for a clean-up which has
transformed an overgrown and littered
path into a pleasant wildlife haven.
The Ealing Dean Allotment Society,
which is made up of 150 allotment
holders, were keen to clear up and
enhance the path running para llel to
their allotments in Radbourne Walk.
As a route used regularly by residents,
especially dog walkers, there were
concerns about litter, the number of
hypodermic needles and empty beer
cans found along the path. Members
Christina and Simon, who led the
project, have a very difficult set of
skills from each other and they jokingly
called their partnership ‘gin and tonic’.
Whereas Christina focused on rallying
residents, posting leaflets through
neighbours’ doors and creating a formal
document detailing the plan to enhance
the path, Simon looked in detail at how
to create habitats for birds and insects
and growing native plants which would
benefit butterflies and moths.
Last year they lobbied their local
councillors for some ward forum
money and were given £1,000.
Working through Bubble, they received
support from Community Payback,
which offered the labour of offenders
undergoing rehabilitation to help clear
the path and also got advice on how to
place a bid to the Mayor of London’s
Capital Clean Up fund, which led to a
further award of £1,500.
Promoted on the Bubble website,
the clean-up has now become a regular
event, and on the first Saturday of every
month neighbours come out with tools,
tea, cake and lots of energy to help
develop the path into a local wild plant
haven, for everyone to enjoy. The project
has led to many new friendships and a
stronger community spirit. The success of
their project has meant that Christina and
Simon are often contacted for advice and
support by other allotment associations.
The local Loveday Road Neighbourhood
Watch will be hosting a street party at
which they will be promoting this project,
to encourage more residents to take part.
You can read the story called
‘Walk this way’ on Bubble, at
www.dosomethinggood.co.uk
If you have a project and would like
some support on delivering it, Bubble
can help you find volunteers, provide
advice on funding and help to promote
your project to a wider audience.
MORE INFO
■
Twitter @ealingbubble
■
www.facebook.com/
ealingbubble
■
www.dosomethinggood.org.uk
around ealing
Summer 2015
53