Croftlands Park a great success

There's a great atmosphere here at the moment.

Kids are having a wonderful time.

They are tackling challenges to suit their ability.

SLDC have done a great job of choosing equipment with varying degrees of risk involved.

There are a wide range of activities to suit different ages and the layout has been thoughtfully put together.

Parents I spoke to yesterday were full of praise.

The children play really well together and the adults are beginning to dare talk to each other as they, for the most part, sit around and watch.

The presence of this park in Ulverston owes much to Phil Lister speaking up when he was a SLDC councillor at a meeting when Windermere declined the offer of a theme park there.

Phil piped up quickly with "If you don't want the money, we'll have it".

The money was thus earmarked for Ulverston several years ago.

After some discussion Phil, a Labour Councillor, persuaded the other councillors not to rip up existing equipment in Lightburn Park but agreed to support the Conservatives in their bid to have the equipment on Croftlands.

This was a great decision; the equipment benefitted from all the extra space available on the site on Central Drive.

There have been some moans about the lack of parking for cars but I can't see this as a serious problem as there are a lot of alternative places.

Yes Croftlands will get "invaded" by lots of people from outlying areas. but this will in the long term be to their benefit. The kind of people being attracted have very positive outlooks and amny great friendships will result.

As someone very interested in supporting parks in general; Mill Dam and Lightburn in particular; I hope a similar spirit can be encouraged at both these parks through the efforts made by local people in their park.

Work in Mill Dam is going really well - Lightburn, apart from the Skateboarding facility and one new piece of equipment, is on hold because of lack of enthusiasm in a potentially difficult area.

Maybe Lightburn will draw some strength from seeing what can be done on Croftlands and by a small group, with little official support, the BUGs,in Mill Dam.

So well done Phil Lister and the design team at SLDC which includes the overworked Engineer Peter Clarke and his behind the desk counterpart Tony Naylor.

Well done - we need a plaque to honour them.

I could make a ceramic one if this would be appropriate.

I support Norman Bishop-Rowe

I understand from the Evening Mail that a very negative group calling themselves the Croflands Community Safety Group and led by Pat Appleton are disagreeing strongly with our councillor.

I want him to stick to his guns and have written the following:

Norman,

I think that you are right to support a BMX area on Croftlands.

When I campaigned for county council, I visited every house surrounding the playing field and in the process discussed its use.

I found that 90% of these people had the following views:

1. That young people needed somewhere to do what they found exciting.

This was Skateboarding and BMX riding. This has been demonstrated by the use of the ramp that has been well used by both in Lightburn Park.

The young people demonstrated their interest in skateboarding by using the area in front of the garages at the park side of Central drive.

This is documented on Youtube by a short video I made at the time.
Young people also congregated and became a nuisance with their skateboarding in front, but particularly behind the parade of shops on Central drive.

2. People felt that they needed somewhere nearby for their children to do this , especially those that found Lightburn Park to be a long way to go.

They felt that they wanted there children in the age range 7 to 12 to have somewhere to play that was close to home in case of trouble.

3. They were aware of  a very negative group of adults calling themselves The Croftlands Community Safety Association which I understand you know well from your visits to their meetings.

This group who live on the edges of the field, led by Pat Appleton are fearful of young people as a whole. They have had some bad experiences with youngsters attracted from Barrow to the Croftlands Community Centre and assume that all youngsters are the same. They tend to be people with no experience of children at first hand.

4. Those that have got to know the boys that practice skateboarding and BMX riding find them, on the whole, to be responsible young people. It is true that on the fringes as in Barrow skateboarding can attract louts who want to make trouble - they don't get involved other than to torment those working hard to develop their sporting skills.

I have checked with parents and teachers; they find that skateboarders  generally work hard at school and do well. Skateboarding  like any skill that requires perseverance develops determination and patience,   character traits to be encouraged . Not surprisingly exam results benefit as a result.

Thus I support you wholeheartedly in wanting to provide a facility for young people that we will encourage fun , adventure, risk taking and perseverance.

This are the qualities we want in our youth who will grow to be the leaders of the future.

Leaders we badly need in these difficult times.

Croftlands Playing Field

It's incredible what a mess the SLDC officers have made of this project by being so manipulative in trying avoid having an honest consultation . Is this because of lack of funds? Why isn't Bishop-Rowe more involved in steering this through?

At the same time the influence of a small group of some five older, frightened, very vocal women is amazing.

They call themselves the Croftlands Community Safety Association and their influence can be very negative; for example to stop kids playing in the playing field.

Sadly they live on the edge of this field and do all they can to prevent it being used for what it's intended. They clearly have a vested interest because of their proximity to what they imagine as potential trouble - teenagers up to no good in amongst the equipment which includes having sex under the slides. They have been encouraged over a period of a few years because one of them has learnt how much noise one can make by repeated attendence at Town Council Meetings so that Councillors are wary of them and District officials are afraid to meet them head on. Bishop-Rowe I understand attends their meetings.

When I was running for County Councillor I visited every house that was adjacent to the playing field - some one hundred houses and 95% of the people wanted the kids to have good playing facilities on the field , yet these women have managed to express their views with strength and stopped things going forward.

As a result the organised few with extreme views have a disproportionate influence.

The actions of this miserable group have managed to delay the provision of various facilities starting with the MUGA for over two years now. My emails with the South Lakes officials indicate the delays and behind the scenes inactivity trying to find a way round this small group.

What is needed is an open meeting with all the interested parties showing up and sorting this once and for all. Trouble is, will the silent majority stand up and say their piece and tell the frightened ladies to shut up and stop working themselves into a tiz as to what terrible things will happen if young people get together and enjoy themselves.

While I agree there is a potential problem this is not dealt with by avoiding it.

What I believe is needed is more adult participation in what happens in this area so that adults have a calming influence. Trouble is the majority are apathetic and want to bury their heads under the covers. Ideally a cafe could be opened on the parade or as an extension of the existing Community Centre which would attract even more adults to the area.

For my part I hope to bring a pottery interest to the railings around the area in the Spring of 2011 through a project at Croftlands Junior school this could become an interest shared by people of all ages as has happened in Gill Banks with the pottery on the railings and the provision of picnic tables nearby.

A good mix of people is ideal.

Is Croftlands being sold short ?

It seems that the installation of the Multiple Use Games Area is being held up by a group that uses the name Croftlands Community Safety Association. This illustrates how one forceful individual representing a very narrow viewpoint - that we need protection from young people - can influence a small group of people who then acquire a name and are consulted by politicians and officers, like of Cllr Norman Bishop-Rowe (who attends their gatherings) Simon Hughes, South Lakes Housing, and Richard Foster of SLDC.

Is there a need for an alternate and more inclusive organisation to represent the needs of Croftlands as a whole? Something I'm very keen to support.

Let me know if you'd like to join a group. We've been trying to get better facilities for young people on Croftlands for over a year now and would have far more success if we became an official group to represent the wider views of the community.

Police response to the Croftlands attack

Personally, I'm very impressed with their prompt and thorough action.

Well done Ulverston Police; I'm sure that they'd appreciate some positive comments here.

They get plenty of discouraging comments all the time. Emotionally, doing a thankless job, coppers are like the rest of us; they need a regular top up of encouragement, especially when they're 'on the ball', working with the community like this.

Come on, see what you can do!

Here is their press release on the subject!

Subject: Ulverston man charged with Assault ABH


An Ulverston man has been charged following an assault on a 63-yr-old local man in the town this week.

Police received reports that a man had been assaulted on Oakwood Drive in Ulverston at around 10pm on Sunday 15 March.

Following a police investigation 24-yr-old Michael Fisher, from Larch Grove in Ulverston, was arrested and later charged with Assault ABH.

Sergeant Rupert Johnston from the Ulverston Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “I would like to thank the community for their help in the investigation into this assault. This sort of crime gives people the wrong impression of Ulverston, but the community spirit shown during the investigation proves that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated in the town.”

Worrying trend ?

This story which was reported yesterday, disturbs me deeply.

An older man is assaulted by a young white male with two other young people standing by. Here on the main road of Croftlands.

What was happening that led to such violence?

I hope this behaviour never becomes the norm in Ulverston.

It will only stop if we all step in and intervene in some way if we see anything like this happening.

If we just shrug our shoulders and turn our backs then it could be our turn next and none of us want to live in this kind of community.

We need to try to understand why people walk around with such anger; then we need to do something about it. The answer is not the police, the problem is for us to solve. We cannot leave it to 'them' to deal with.

It follows the kind of behaviour that I predict will happen more and more as people get angrier with the world at large, and react to what is happening to them from directions they believe they have no control over.

Croftlands Community Group

I'm in the process of revisiting people that I've met who live on Croftlands to see if there's an interest in forming a group in Croftlands along the lines of the card that was distributed in late January.

Let me know if you'd like to be part of the initial steering group.

Kids scaling the heights

Which they will, with a little encouragement!

Enjoy a little insubordination on the way to the top!

Health and Safety my arse !

Mrs Smith, ex Head of Croftlands would agree, I believe.

She had her pupils climbing to the top of the Playdale pillars and standing on the very top and didn't bat an eyelid.

She found their academic performance matched their outrageous behaviour.

Vive La France where this was taken last year!

What do we have here - no leapfrogs or conker contests - they're DANGEROUS

Oh by the way, I'm told that the condition for the grant for the climbing wall at Victoria High School is that it's open to the whole community ! (?)


Hurray - no ropes !

Any seventy year olds fancy a bit of excitement (or is that insulting the ninety year olds).

Come now don't all shout at once!

How about one of these at the Croftlands Community Centre and then the ladies of the Croftlands Community Safety Association could have some fun .

Geoff, behave yourself!

Making a grind box

I've been exploring the design of these basic pieces of equipment for skateboarding. Here are the criteria - it must be:

• portable
• made from readily available materials
• flat on top
• can have a grind rail attached
• can be extended upwards

This is my basic design. The pictures below are only meant to show how the legs would be added and are not the finished design!

Here in Ulverston palettes are the most available free materials - obtained from building sites.

The design requires taking a palette nearly completely apart then reassembling and cutting wood to length

By careful positioning the wood at each end, it allows legs to be added.

To these would be added a further framework to make the legs stable - the illustration does not have this added.

I am offering workshop facilities for children - near the Health Centre - can you offer some in other parts of town?

Would you have a storage for a few palettes?

I now have ten boxes that are ready to go - just need some kids!

Dangerous backbiting people

I was shocked at the attitude of a woman on Croftlands yesterday.

People like this can cause a lot of misinformation and can appeal to other people's illogical fears.

What happened:

I locate and provide free timber to a group of lads.

One gets help from his dad and constructs a grind box for skateboarding.

He practices with it in the lane behind his house - a dead end with no traffic.

As far as he is aware all the neighbours are supportive.

I check with one who is working on his car nearby that this is so.

A group of 15 year olds are playing on the swings nearby - equipment restricted to 13 year olds.

I go and talk to them about this - one of the things brought up by other residents.

I get a lot of cheeky lip - something that I'm used to as a teacher!

I go home and get a phone call from an irate illogical woman that my action of providing wood has led to the rowdy group congregating round the area were the skateboarding is happening. She says she has called the police.

I go round to see her a find her winding up another woman who lives down the road. They both have a go at me for causing trouble.

The disturbing thing is these people are part of a group calling themselves ' The Croflands Community Safety Association ' and are taken seriously by a few people.

Why don't people talk to each other more? Why didn't this irate woman go and talk to the youngsters who were causing trouble rather than coming to me?

If she felt intimidated then why not get her husband and other adults to come out together and talk to them?

The kids giving me lip on the swings live not far away. Why don't the women use their energy to go and see the parents of the children causing trouble?

Instead they have a go at me!

These problems could be sorted if instead of going into a huddle they got the adults to talk directly to those causing trouble and to their parents.

More on this later - the lack of communication between different groups of people has become a serious problem in our society.

Are groups like this Croftlands association useful if they don't promote communication between groups of people in their community?

What is your reaction?

Breakthrough in skateboarding

Following the lead from some youngsters on Croftlands who have decided that they want to design and build their own skateboarding equipment, I incorporated their ideas into my door-to-door survey of the residents of the area.

Having completed a circuit of all the houses that surround the playing field off Central drive I found that the vast majority want to encourage the young people's initiative and favour a simple skateboard facility to be located in the middle of the playing field at a point away from all the houses. Some are keen to support the youngsters financially where required.



I therefore went in search of free wood.

This I found at a building site which offered six pallets, numerous sheets of coated 'allweather' chipboard, and four bags of offcuts of various sizes. Another skip in town offered a large sheet of blockboard and one pallet.




Within five minutes of taking delivery of the wood they were off!

They chose two pallets, most of the chipboard and some of the offcuts.

The next stage is to buy some angle iron to enable them to 'grind' on the corners of the boxes they construct.

It will be fascinating to see what happens next!

I plan to extend this concept to kids and their communities in other parts of the town. I seek to offer the facility of wood supply, storage, expertise in construction, supply of pre-drilled angle iron and ideas to any communities with a group of youngsters in Ulverston who are interested.

The summer holidays, what's left of them, will provide a great opportunity to get numerous groups of kids around the town designing and making their own equipment.

With the support and encouragement (non-financial) given by Tom at Working Class Heroes we hope that at last Ulverston kids will be given the opportunity to take a greater part in skateboarding.

The way is open for a great cooperation between the various communities, the politicians, the police and young people to pursue an activity which will boost teenagers' feelings of self-esteem, as they take note of the needs of others and in return enjoy the encouragements of the adults living around them.



Anyone wishing to get involved is welcome. They could help in many ways by providing :

1. ideas of where to find spare wood
2. a place where these 'Grind Boxes' can be made
3. expertise to help (but not take over !) in the designing and making
4. provide contact and mutual respect and encouragement between the kids and the community they live in.

If this sounds 'up your street' you are welcome to contact Geoff Dellow by email or phone - gd at tygh.co.uk or 480347

August 12th - Door to door on Croftlands

I am thoroughly enjoying my visits to all the houses that surround the playing field at Central Drive.

I have now been to all of them and have been made very welcome with many offers of cups of tea. They are a lovely lot of people and all share similar concerns: -

1. Provide an inexpensive skateboard run for the youngsters on the playing field. This would cost £130. Many have already made offers of up to £10 to pitch in.

2. Enable children to cross Oakwood Drive - by using both Zebra Crossings and Lollipop Men near the school.

3. Get a complete review of the road usage through Croftlands - Oakwood and Birkett Drives and Mountbarrow and Priory Roads

4. Find challenging activities for older children in addition to those promoted by the Croftlands Community Youth Club

I shall be continuing my visits over the next few weeks.