A new community group Chaddlewood Friends and Neighbours Society (FANS) has been established in Plympton.
The objective of the group is to engage with the community to support and promote the social and environmental benefits of Plympton Chaddlewood Ward and its immediate area.
Chaddlewood FANS is about people helping each other, the environment and promoting a sense of belonging and pride within the neighbourhood. Activities could include managing wildflowers, planters, tackling invasive species, providing benches and improving outdoor play areas.
The constitution has been agreed, a small committee is in place and now they are ready to get started, working together with local people and like minded organisations. Chaddlewood FANS welcomes people who live, work, run businesses, go to school, use the parks, in fact anybody using any of the amenities and services in Chaddlewood, who would like to get involved in encouraging and fostering a strong community spirit and a pride in their environment.
Dave Curno, chair of Plymouth Open Spaces Network, has been instrumental in helping to set up Chaddlewood FANS. He said:
“It’s brilliant to see a Friends group covering Chaddlewood joining the 30 plus other friends groups in Plymouth taking care of the city’s important green spaces.”
The initial idea of a Chaddlewood Friends group came from Cllr Ian Poyser, who as a community campaigner pledged to set the group up after listening to concerns and feedback from local residents. Chaddlewood FANS is entirely a community led group and is not aligned to any political party
Cllr Poyser said: “It’s fantastic to see local residents coming together to do positive things for their local community, bringing people together to help manage open spaces for the benefit of nature and residents. I hope others will join the group over the coming months.”
The group is looking for a diverse range of people of all ages to become members and help create an amazing neighbourhood. Anyone who would like to be involved, whatever age, is invited to the Chaddlewood FANS meeting in June, with ideas, opinions and enthusiasm for the new neighbourhood group.
The meeting is taking place at Chaddlewood Community Centre on the June 29 between 7pm and 9pm. The group can also be contacted by e-mail at chaddlewoodfans@gmail.com
