A primary school in Southport is at the centre of a unique and ambitious community partnership with a shared vision to reimagine a local park.
Birkdale Primary School wants to see Compton Park in Birkdale become a mix of Forest School and public access land with a variety of facilities and amenities available for hire or able to generate revenue for the school..
The first step on their journey will be to conduct a series of focus groups to ensure that the park delivers on its diversity pledge.
The park would be accessible for all, to be used by all and at the forefront of thinking.
The park must be safe for all. Every person regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or ability planning a visit to the park must feel safe on their way to the venue, safe there and safe on the way home.
For this reason the school will run a series of focus groups involving a range of community groups, both formal and informal.
They would include parents and carers at the school, younger ages via baby and toddler groups, the elderly via the local churches, local groups working towards equality of opportunity, local charities which deliver services to adults with learning disabilities and local friends’ groups, coaches and parents or carers from a local community football club and others.
Organisers would engage with as many interested parties as possible during the focus groups stage, including all local residents who live closest to the park.
Focus groups would involve multiple interviews with small groups of around eight to 10 people selected with certain key attributes in mind, specific knowledge, experience or socio-economic characteristics for example. Participants would be invited to attend informal discussion sessions.
The team at Compton Road Park want Southport residents to register their interest in focus groups that are open to anyone with a particular interest or perspective. For example, they may be passionate about biodiversity, want to tackle climate change in a small way, or have a really good idea for the occasional use of public access land.
The project will launch on a small local level with a football tournament at the park and will build towards a series of events during the Summer of 2022.
Birkdale Primary School will again be reaching out to the people who were invited to attend a public meeting at the school.
This time attendees will be asked to register their interest via email to jasonmccormackict@gmail.com or by returning a form to the school.
Attendance at each event will be strictly limited, but there will be enough events to fit in everyone who wants to attend a focus group to ensure the capture of views from anyone about ambitions to see a self-funding, safe area for all .
This is your chance to get involved with a group of people determined to stand up for their area of Southport.
To get involved please email jasonmccormackict@gmail.com
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