Borough Life Spring 2006: Breaking down the barriers
Village life: Peter Guy (second left) and Philip Winterbottom welcome the mayor and mayoress Brian and Barbara Jarvis to Gin Pit's village green celebrations.
For an organisation which, by its own admission, isn’t exactly a household name, the Borough Wide Community Network (BWCN) is remarkably ambitious about its role.
“We want to break down barriers” says press officer Marion Andrews, from Wigan. “Barriers between communities, barriers between old and young, barriers between the community and the local council. We’re giving people a say in their own future and a chance to be heard.”
The idea of breaking down barriers crops up a lot during the interview – even to the extent of predicting that the two year old network can help break down the historical barriers between the east and west of the borough.
For anyone with a passing knowledge of the past thirty years, this divide between Wigan and Leigh, whether real or perceived, is one of the more frustrating aspects of political and community life. So it’s refreshing to come across an organisation that focuses on what unites us as a borough rather than our divisions.
The BWCN is an umbrella organisation for more than 400 community groups whose members work as unpaid volunteers. These can include everything from groups of tenants and mother and toddlers to over 50s and environmental campaigners.
The figures are impressive. A recent survey revealed its members were responsible for 3250 ‘volunteer hours’ per month.
That’s the equivalent of 90 full time community development workers, or a staggering £2.2 million every year!
The network shares information with its members, and provide them with practical examples of what has worked elsewhere or how to get things done. Marjorie Marsden is a member of Shakerley Community Centre.
She explains: “On our estate we’ve a community centre and shop and the kids used to spray it with graffiti.
“We got together with the police and our local councillors and brought a graffiti artist along to work creatively with the kids. They’ve never damaged it since. We’re now building a new community centre and we’ll be asking the young people to do us an art mural.
“That’s the kind of experience we can pass on to others experiencing similar problems.”
The BWCN aims to give communities a voice in the corridors of power. Its members sit on all the ‘partnerships’ that bring council and other public services together and they feed in the views of local groups. They also work closely with local councillors.
Peter Guy, a long standing environmental worker in Gin Pit, says: “We’re starting to have an effect and the powers that be are taking notice of what we say. It’s all about involving local people in decision making and bringing community spirit back.”
The BWCN meets once a month at Ince Community Centre – a venue that was chosen because it’s at the centre of the borough and no-one has to travel too far.
Marion said: “Our meeting are never too heavy. People just get a lot out of meeting others in the same situation.
“We’re not about whingeing, we talk about issues that are real to people. For example we’ve been able to play a role in helping the people who manage the Rock Bus decide which communities to go into and were able to get a £9,000 grant for it.”
Peter says: “We don’t have an axe to grind and we’re not political. The network is a good example of people helping each other and benefiting the community as a whole. We say to them, you can change things if you want to.”
And Peter should know: he was instrumental in his own small community of Gin Pit, near Tyldesley, becoming the first in the borough to win legal protection for its village green last year.
The network has made a good start, but accepts there’s some way to go. Many groups and societies still don’t know it exists, and new members are welcome.
Says Marjorie: “I’m no graduate, but I understand things at my level. You don’t need a degree to get involved. We’re just normal down to earth people but we can help others who may feel isolated with support and information.”
- To find out more contact the Network c/o Wigan and Leigh Council for Voluntary Service, FREEPOST NATW 1524, 93 Church Street, Leigh WN7 1AZ, tel. 01942 686234 or email cepinfo@wiganvoices.com