Life is getting better for hundreds of residents living in a close-knit community in Tipton thanks to help they are getting to cut the cost of living and improve their job skills and overall health.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, visited the Park Lane Estate to see the positive impact a £500,000 investment by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is having on the lives of residents – many of whom are from a south Asian background.
The investment is part of a pilot scheme looking at how neighbourhood wide improvements to make them greener, healthier and more prosperous places to live can strengthen community cohesion and improve quality of life.
A total of 35 homes on the estate have been fitted with solar panels to cut energy bills and tackle fuel poverty, more trees are being planted, and residents are growing their own fruit and vegetables at a newly established community allotment.
Social and activity groups are improving residents’ physical and mental health, building their environmental awareness, and equipping them with the English language skills and digital capabilities they need to access community services in person and online.
All of the activities have been funded by the Mayor and led by the Bangladeshi Women’s Association, which is based at Tipton Muslim Community Centre, with support from Sandwell Council.
During the visit, the Mayor met Robina Kauser and Parmjit Kaur, who, thanks to the investment, are now more active in the community having spent many years caring for their families.
Parmjit, who is looking for a job with a renewed confidence, said: “I’ve spent many years at home looking after my two stepchildren, my own son, and mother-in-law and father-in-law. I felt lost.
“Now I dress up and give myself some attention. I love the activities, gardening, playing netball, I’m learning to speak better English and now looking for work. I am so much more confident about myself.”
Robina, who has lived in Tipton since coming to the UK from Pakistan almost 20 years ago, said: “My life is so much better. Being more involved has helped my depression, my English and my health.
“I didn’t feel able to go outside much before because of looking after my children and then my poor mental health. Now I play netball, go to the park and help with litter picking. I’ve met so many new people and learned so much.
“I also have a job as a passenger transport assistant accompanying local SEND children on their journey to and from school. It makes me feel more involved.”
The Mayor said: “Robena, Parmjit and many more of their neighbours who I met at Park Lane Estate are proof of what’s possible when we invest in helping communities to help themselves. I was proud to see the real difference this funding is already having on their lives. It’s given them new confidence and opened up valuable opportunities for them to learn and to earn their own money.
“When communities like this one are overlooked, residents can become isolated from the rest of the region. But this investment is delivering the change I promised: supporting a happier, healthier and better-connected community. And there’s even more to come when the new tram line opens, with a stop serving this estate.”
Cllr Ken Parsons, Sandwell Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, said: "This project is making a real difference to people’s lives in Tipton. By helping residents reduce energy costs, improve their skills, build confidence, and connect with their community, we are creating opportunities that will benefit local families for years to come. We are pleased to be working alongside the Mayor and the Bangladeshi Women’s Association to support this important work.
"The investment in the Park Lane Estate shows what can be achieved when local organisations, residents and public bodies work together. From warmer homes and lower energy bills to better health and employment opportunities, this project is helping residents build a brighter future while strengthening the local community."
The longer-term vision for Park Lane Estate includes safer cycling and walking routes to make it easier to get to the nearby canal and other nature sites, Dudley Port train station and the Midland Metro extension that will take trams into Tipton for the first time.
Other neighbourhoods included in the pilot are Castle Vale in Birmingham; Graiseley in Wolverhampton; Chelmsley Wood in Solihull; Dudley Fields in Walsall; Hillfields in Coventry; and Brockmoor in Dudley.
It’s part of the Local Net Zero Accelerator funded by the government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and delivered in partnership with the WMCA’s seven constituent local authorities. It is looking at ways of making homes warmer and healthier, reducing energy bills, building better transport networks, and opening up green spaces.
It also supports the West Midlands Race Equity Taskforce commitment to improve opportunities for all communities.
The Mayor has also previously announced plans to use more than £200 million of devolved government funding to bring 13,000 of the region’s oldest homes up to modern energy efficient standards and tackle fuel poverty for thousands of low-income households.
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