A group formed to create community spirit and become a local hub for the area has recently celebrated its fifth anniversary after forming following the Covid lockdown.
Birches Head Get Growing (BHGG) became a Community Interest Company (CIC) in 2021 and has become a permanent and friendly fixture at the Bridge Centre, with over 40 volunteers helping them carry out the group’s work.
The group is the brainchild of Paula Rowcliffe, who formed the group as a place for the community to come together and to develop a community spirit.
BHGG originally booked The Bridge Centre’s Link Room as a place to meet, with the Potter and Natter Friendship Group being formed. Since then, other groups have formed as part of BHGG, including breakfast clubs, gardening groups and a Ditch The Tech group. In fact, the community organisation runs events at The Bridge Centre almost every day of the week.
Paula said: “We had an initial discussion with Rob Smith from the Centre, and when we came to see The Link Room it became a fantastic place for us to form and set up what we wanted to do.
“The team at The Bridge Centre have been fantastic and it’s such a great place for us to be based.
“We’re really fortunate to have the support of local PCSOs and the Stoke-on-Trent City Council, who persuaded us to consider applying for Community Investment Funding. We were really pleased to receive the funding, followed by acquiring match funding from the National Lottery. It all became very real at that point, and we have progressed so well in the last few years,
“I’ve had a burning desire to develop a community group and seeing us start out quite small, to a group who runs something nearly every day at The Bridge Centre, has been really rewarding.
“I wanted to form a group to develop community spirit and share skills and resources throughout the area.
“After receiving the funding, we developed a plan together and the funding paid for our amazing Polycrub and growing area. We do have three additional allotment plots too, and these provide fresh food and produce for our local area.”
Paula’s vision was to provide everything free of charge at the point of delivery, so that anyone who attends any of the groups or activities does so on an equal basis.”
Paula added: “Our team of volunteers work tirelessly for our organisation and for the community.
“We have such a great team and we really have become a focal point for the local area.”
BHGG also offer an 80-day non-statutory placements for MA students from the University of Staffordshire, and deliver lectures and workshops to Medicine and Pharmacy students from Keele University, and other volunteer opportunities.
Paula said: “We can only offer our services because of The Bridge Centre. The staff are so supportive, which in itself deserves praise, and the space we have really is amazing.
As well as an extensive education offer, I sit on the Stoke-on-Trent Food Partnership Steering Group and lead on Co-design and Community Engagement. We are also part of the City Alliance and work collaboratively with groups and organisations across Staffordshire. We are a Welcoming Space and a Place of Welcome. We can only offer these services because of The Bridge Centre. It really is a family environment and anyone who wants to know more can always get in touch with us as we’re always after new volunteers to help our work.”
To find out more about Birches Head Get Growing visit their website at Home – Birches Head Get Growing
To speak to the team at The Bridge Centre about booking a space for your community group to use, email manager@thebridgecentre.org.uk
