Flower Estate Community Association

History

In the early eighties a project was formed in the area called the Firth Park Children’s Project, this was set up to tackle juvenile crime, working with children.

The committee consisted of Social Services, Magistrates and professionals from various agencies.  They employed 3 key workers to set up the “clubs”.  The clubs consisted of Junior club, Toy library, F4’s club, Swimming club and Family group.  The key workers employed sessional workers to run these clubs, half way through the project a group of these sessional workers formed The Flower Estate Community Association.  With the help of the project, June Smith and Peter Foyle, requested they go on the committee of the project.  This was accepted and the remit of the project changed.
The project had come on the estate with a huge pot of money and we were aware that these projects come and go and we worked towards something happening after the project and the paid workers had gone.

The Community Association squatted in a building at the back of Shiregreen School and acquired the rights from the Education Department to use it. After the project had gone, June Smith went to the Social Services to plead for funding to carry on the sessions, funding was for 5 years but on a much smaller scale.  Whereas sessional workers were earning £9 per session we were only able to pay £3 per session, this sorted the wheat from the chaff.  We encouraged dedicated workers from within the area, these have stayed through all the trials and tribulations the community has endured and has also had the glory.

We had junior clubs every night, a swimming club, women’s group, bingo, toy library, camping club and a summer playscheme.

Throughout the years in the early eighties we had a lot of male members (this was due to the decline in the steel industry), and we formed a ‘drop in’ centre and a Community work shop.  Unfortunately, after a while, due to burglaries and vandalism, these closed.

The woman’s group became the backbone of the Association. The committee consists entirely of women.

Our last building was burnt down in 1992 and we had to borrow a room in the school, until the Education authority received the insurance to build the centre we are now in.

Ironically, although we had a new centre we had very little funding to run anything.  To keep the centre afloat a lottery bid was submitted and we were successful.  This has given us a new lease of life and all the original activities are functioning.  We also have an adult education project ongoing, and from these classes we are hoping the students will have opportunities to gain better employment.

All this has been due to a few women, who, without any payment, have basically worked very hard and along the way have gained a wealth of experience and strong friendships from the association.

We are now in our purpose built building and 12 years on we have a very positive playgroup and afterschool club which is very popular and has waiting lists The children who attend the groups receive a very good feedback on their attitude and behaviour both from the school and their parents.

We have formed a new Over 50s group, which has helped many of our members with a new worth in themselves and a comradeship second to none.

We have recently had our grounds upgraded with new benches and landscaping

We are now 25 years plus and still going strong.