Little Acorn Community Development Project Irwell Valley Housing Association Sheltered Housing Scheme, Salford Tenants at the sheltered housing scheme – which was surrounded by an area of high unemployment and poor housing - had for some time been experiencing a feeling of isolation in their own community – many of their old neighbours had moved away, houses had proved difficult to sell, many being eventually boarded up or bought by private landlords for conversion into flats, leading to a transient population in the area. Even more worryingly, tenants were often the victims of theft, muggings, burglaries and robbery. On taking up post at Peterloo Court, new scheme manager, Denise Nelson, made one of her first priorities to enlist the support of the local police force. With the installation of CCTV cameras and a good working arrangement with the local patch officers, arrests took place and a quieter period followed. The next step was to bring the 'feel good' factor back to the scheme and the local community. A community lunch in the scheme, open to everyone, young and old, kicked things off. At the same time, the local high school decided to get involved in the Greater Manchester Police initiative Make a Difference, which challenges young people to make a difference in their own community. The links made at the community lunch proved invaluable for the activities which followed. Community fund raising activities and a healthy living project fired enthusiasm. Tenants began to work with an organisation called Anti-Rust, taking part in weekly sessions of Story Time Café – a forum where older people can pass on their life stories to children aged 8-10 from local primary schools. Tenants also started to work with the Year 10 drama group where pupils taped, edited and transcribed what was said at reminiscence classes, making the events into a play that was performed both at school and at the scheme. Next, tenants began work on a wall hanging depicting life from 1900-2000, looking at the differences in living conditions and life styles. One afternoon a week, between 10-15 people went 'back to school' to get involved in a range of activities including computer-aided design, stippling, beadwork and stencilling. The project entered and won the GOSH competition being awarded £1,000 of working capital, match funded by IVHA. Since conception, the project has continued to gain momentum. Participants have evolved with the project: the majority achieving a sense of personal development. And in the future? The project is now able to pay for expertise and employ a teacher for half a day a week and the group are working together to produce a book detailing their experiences in Salford during the war years. The project has recently applied for an Age Concern Millennium Grant for £10,000 to develop the project even further.

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