BBEST: the importance of volunteers

There is still a lot of work to do to in keeping BBEST moving forward. Here are some areas where supporters could commit a limited amount of time over a fixed period, to carry forward some of this work. These could be split or shared according to your availability.

If you are interested in helping BBEST in any of the ways listed here – or if you have other ideas – please email info@bbest.org.uk. We’ll be very pleased to hear from you!

Fundraising:

Fundraising: If you have experience of finding grant awarding bodies and writing bids for funding, you could use your skills to help BBEST to support its work.

Publicity:

Look for opportunities to promote BBEST in local press and through the community and possible organise fundraising events. Liaison with the BBEST Web Manager would be important.

Investigating Parking issues:

We are hoping the City Council will work jointly with us in this area, and the tasks would be very likely to involve some simple survey work around current parking patterns. Also useful would be research into, or experience of, innovative solutions in other areas.

The outcome would be proposals for improvement of parking facilities in the BBEST area which meet the needs of all parts of the community.

To join in this work you will need to be willing to help with surveys, discuss issues with interested parties
and summarise results.

Heritage development:

BBEST is keen to develop the heritage aspects of the planning process by collecting/taking photographs of heritage buildings and helping Lee Kenny in particular with her work on walks in the area.

Air quality:

Air quality in many areas of the BBEST area is poor, including Fulwood Road, the area around the public schools, including coach parking and taxis waiting for fares in the evening. Volunteers should be willing to carry out surveys of air quality (equipment can be made available), research the effects of pollution and make recommendations.

Development of ideas in relation to bin storage:

Refuse bin storage was identified as an
issue early in the BBEST consultation process. This strand will look at practice elsewhere and innovative options for storage and consider how collection of student waste at the end of the summer term is working.

Skills required are an interest in the topic and willingness to research and discuss and present options.

And looking to the future…

Plan consultation – preparation and evaluation

BBEST will arrange two consultations with residents, the first in autumn 2018, before the plan can be adopted. The initial consultation with the community will primarily take place online, with print copies for comment held in the Library for those who prefer to reply in written form. Responses will need to be collated, analysed and prepared for presentation to SCC in an appropriate format.

Volunteers could work in a number of areas: setting up the survey, encouraging participation, monitoring responses etc.

The outcome will be well presented and thought through response to comments from the community which will contribute to the success of SCC official scrutiny of the Plan.

What is required?
To join in this work you will need to have time to monitor the BBEST website, download comments from the website and collate them for the Planning Group. There will be at least one meeting to discuss community comments and prepare a view from BBEST on how to take them forward for presentation to SCC.