It’s slow going this project at times. Not many turned up to Julies workshop at all, we’re publicising and posting on facebook/twitter etc but still no takers.
Bringing people in from New Ferry is as problematic as bringing people in from outside the area.
New Ferry does have a bit of a bad name lately, its such a shame as I’ve shopped there for nigh on 15 years now and it has some really great shops but the last year has had a noticeable downturn.
The last few months in particular have been much worse. There is a definite drink problem in the area, some tacky bars have opened and are attracting the wrong type of people in.
Last week there were Police around daily moving the drunks on. I saw kids being shouted at in the street by some drunks and we even had one staggering into the shop during a workshop.
It puts people off there’s no two ways about it. The local police are trying to promote an alcohol free pedestrian zone in New Ferry which I think would help massively, people lock up the shops by 4.30 now as no-one wants to be around after that. I feel so utterly sad about it all.
Community engagement can be such a great thing…if it works. The only way for it to work is for the people to actually want to get involved but if they dont want to come into New Ferry there’s not much more we can do.
I refuse to go down without a fight though, we have 4.5months left of this project and so we’ll just have to try harder, work harder (if at all possible) to get the people involved.
There are so many great people in New Ferry, I’ve met loads of them, I just need them to come in, work with us and make this project work for them.
One of my volunteers is looking into setting up an online petition in support of the alcohol free zone. I’m going to have a petition in the shop too as some of the other shops have.
Lots of support for this so maybe we just all have to work together for this aim and put the longer term aims on hold.
This week I’ll be sending invitations to all the local church/youth groups etc, scouts,guides and schools again to see if we can entice them to visit us and learn about the project and the butterfly park.
New Ferry still has the potential…The fight goes on…..
