Beighton Community Partnership

Beighton Community Partnership (BCP) is a Registered Charity and also a Company Limited by Guarantee, operating out of its registered office located on the first floor of the Beighton Resource Centre situated at 1A Rose Avenue, Beighton. 

The simple but effective vision of BCP is:

“To develop and support the economic, environmental, and social regeneration of the Beighton and Sothall areas”

Established in 1996, the roots of BCP lie at the heart of the community.   The organisation is both led and driven by volunteer community residents and local business owners living or trading in the Beighton and Sothall communities, who together as Trustees, form a 15 person strong Board of Directors.  

Within a written constitution, each Board member is democratically elected to office annually by individual, organisational, or institutional representatives affiliated to BCP at a public Annual General Meeting, with key Officers elected bi-annually.   Collectively those volunteers passionately seek to use their energies, skills and experience to improve the quality of life for all residents. 

In a Forum setting community open meetings are held every six weeks where community groups, businesses, individuals and other agencies meet to:

·        share local information

·        find positive solutions to collective community issues

·        discuss, plan and execute community social and economical development    

Within the community Forum setting, the role of BCP is to provide a structure for:

·        aiding community cohesion

·        supporting community empowerment

·        providing information exchange

·        enabling collective community dialogue with statutory service providers and other organisations. 

In short, because of the diverse expertise and experience it has gained in a decade of community development and associated activity, BCP acts as a supportive nurturing body (not ruling body) to wholly independent community groups and organisations in relation to the widest of their community issues.

In 1999, Beighton and Sothall as former coalfield communities were designated by the European Union (EU) to be a ‘Priority Area’ to receive EU Structural Funds from the South Yorkshire Objective 1 Programme.   The Programme seeks to assist the economic regeneration of targeted ‘Priority Areas’, and additional funding was to be provided through the Regional Development Agency of Yorkshire Forward.

BCP as an established and successful community led organisation was naturally well placed to be appointed as the community body to lead the regeneration processes under the Objective 1 Programme and, during the period 2000 to 2002 following extensive community consultation, the Beighton Integrated Development Plan (IDP) was drawn up, and given Objective 1 approval for delivery.      

In 2002, BCP established its sister company Beighton Villages Development Trust to specifically deliver the 8 core projects of the Beighton IDP all of which are economically based and must either:

·        create new businesses and business space

·        create new jobs

·        provide reclamation of former industrial ‘brown field’ sites

·        provide training to re-skill the local work force

Outside of the EU funded projects BCP continues with its core community functions, and constantly seeks new volunteers to assist in the heavy workload.

Examples of current 2005 to 2006 BCP activities and plans are:

• In a partnership approach with the Sheffield City Council, transforming the former Sycamore Street play area into a ‘Generations Gardens’
• In partnership approach with Sheffield Connexions establishing a ‘Junior BCP’ to enable our younger generation to have a real voice in community matters.
• In a partnership with Sheffield Active Communities and following the huge success of the 2005 ‘summer activities programme’ for young people, establishing a 2006 programme and seeking relevant funding.
• In the long term establishing ‘community issues groups’ for health & disability / education / young people / transport / community safety & others.

Over the past 2 years community volunteers with a common interest in the local environment have established the ‘Beighton Environment Group’.  Through dedication and determined effort the group have seen tremendous personal growth and success, to the point where they act in a consultative capacity with the Local Authority, have enabled Beighton to receive its first awards in the ‘Britain in Bloom’ national competition, and are transforming the visual aspects of the village.   This is the finest example and best practice of what people power within a community issues group is all about.  .   Visit the Beighton Environment Group portal on this website.   

Do you care about Beighton and Sothall?    Do you feel you have some time to help?   Do you want to know more?   If so, please give us a call.

Local Beighton and Sothall based community groups, businesses, organisations or individual residents seeking further information or written affiliation to BCP should contact the Partnership office at Tele. No.  0114 – 2478884.  OR visit us at 1A Rose Avenue Beighton, Sheffield S20 1FZ.