bpha has won an award for helping to make communities safer and more desirable places to live.
The Tenants Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) recognised bpha in the TPAS Awards 2011 Central Region in the category of ‘Best Practice in Youth Involvement’ for a youth art initiative that saw a group of young people – adopting the name ‘Pure Graf’ – transform a rundown and neglected multi-use games area in Offa Road, Bedford.
Supported by bpha, the youngsters successfully applied for £38,500 to add to the £70,000 pledged by Bedford Borough Council to turn the games area into a stunning new facility.
In addition, ‘Pure Graf’ worked with a local artist to teach them legal graffiti to create boards to decorate and personalise the renovated games area. ‘Pure Graf’s’ commitment and dedication to this project has seen members of the group go on to gain further training and improve their employment prospects.
bpha was also nominated in the ‘Best Practice in the Community Category’ for a project in Clapham, Bedford which saw a group of residents in Bents Close come together to turn some disused land into a communal garden.
Karen Nicholson, Youth Participation Co-ordinator for bpha, said: “With so many great entries this year, we are absolutely delighted to have won this category. ‘Pure Graf’ was a fantastic project; the young people involved showed tremendous commitment and really wanted to do everything they could to transform the games area into a place that they could be proud of.”
One of the members of ‘Pure Graf’, Nicheala Endersby , added: “I got involved in the project because I thought that by doing so it would help me to get along with new people and help the community and the youths that live in it. When we won the award I was so happy and proud at the fact the work we have done really has helped the community and I am excited about the part I have played into helping the community and getting the youths involved off the streets.”
bpha along with the other Central Region winners will now go up against the winners from the Northern and Southern Regions in the National Final 2011. The overall winners will be announced in July.