The sketch design (right) showing proposed improvements to this park, based on the outcomes of a long period of public consultation, was approved by Witham Local Committee on 26th February 2008 to form the basis of Braintree District Council's Stage 1 bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund's 'Parks for People' programme.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO COMPILE AN 'ORAL HISTORY' OF THIS PARK...
-Would you be prepared to let us record your memories of the park?
-Can you help us to record people's memories of the park?

Workshops and Consultation Events:
Starting with a stall at the Carnival on 14th July 2007 and a Public Meeting on 25th September 2007, a series of consultation events were scheduled for September to November in addition to a series of topic based workshops, at various locations, to attract a variety of audiences.

Consultees were asked asked three basic questions:
- What is Good? (What do you like about the Park?)
- What is Bad? (What are the problems?)
- What about the Future? (What improvements and new uses would you like to see?)

List of Events: -
14/07/07          Carnival - general public and park users
22/09/07          Children’s World Fun Day at Witham Park – general public and park users
25/09/07           Public Meeting - stakeholders / general public
06/10/07          Park View – elderly people/ people with disabilities/ care staff / park neighbours
13/10/07          Grove Centre – general public / variety of educational attainment
15/10/07          Health Centre – people in poor health / people with disabilities
15/10/07          Job Centre Plus – people with a variety of educational attainment / unemployed
                          people
16/10/07          South View School – children with special needs
17/10/07          Small Talk – parents of young children
18/10/07          Youth Group – young people 12 to 17
19/10/07          Friday Fellowship – elderly people/ people with disabilities
01/11/07          Howbridge Juniors – children aged 10 and 11
01/11/07          Culture & Heritage Workshop
03/11/07          Play Workshop
05/11/07          Bramston Sixth Form – young people aged 17
06/11/07          Youth (1) Workshop
                         (The Youth Workshops were led by Marianne Brooker from YARN)
08/11/07          Bramston Sixth Form – young people aged 18
08/11/07          New Uses Workshop
13/11/07          Youth (2) Workshop
19/11/07          Access Workshop
27/11/07          Adult Education College – young people aged 18-24 and adult learners
28/11/07          Rickstones School – young people aged 13
05/12/07          Parkside Youth Centre – young people aged 11 to 16 / park neighbours
08/01/08          Witham & Countryside Society – members attending W&CS meeting
09/01/08          Rickstones School – young people aged 13
10/01/08          Tabor Centre – adults with physical disabilities
16/01/08          Rickstones School – young people aged 13
17/01/08          Witham Town Centre Strategy Group – businesses / employers
23/01/08          Rickstones School Play Workshop 1
23/01/08          Witham Nursery – people with young children
28/01/08          Witham Town Council
30/01/08          Rickstones School Play Workshop 2

User Surveys:
As part of the work on the PPG17 Open Space Audit a number of User Surveys were undertaken in the Park in 2006.  A further period of on site User Surveys took place in 2007.

Household Survey:
A Household Survey is also being developed to gather views of the Witham Community that have not yet been captured by other means.

STAKEHOLDER LIST
Throughout the process, a stakeholder list has been developed and extended as new contacts have been made.  Anyone who wishes to be kept informed about the project can ask to be included on the "Stakeholder List" (see details below) to receive information as the project develops.

ARTWORK FOR THE PARK
We have invited a number of local primary schools to contribute artwork to be hung in the park based on aspects of the natural environment, particularly "mini beasts" and trees.  Severel schools have responded and we have already received some really attractive pictures from Chipping Hill School: -

- Chipping Hill School Art for the Park (1)
- Chipping Hill School Art for the Park (2)
- Chipping Hill School Art for the Park (3)

FURTHER WORK INCLUDES:
- speaking to individuals/groups etc. affected by the scheme
- investigating improving the footpath and cycleway network through the park and beyond
- speaking to experts on specific subjects e.g. increasing biodiversity, increasing the range of uses
- searching for finance
- many other matters to pursue include: visitor surveys/ improving access/ audience development plan/ education policy/ developing space for learning/ investigating viability of proposed new uses/ use of volunteers/ training opportunities - for all these issues we have specific HLF guidance to follow
- drawing together what we know (a lot) of the history of the park
- pursuing 'gathering memories' to compile an "oral" history of Witham Park
- drafting a 10 year management and maintenance plan
- addressing the question of staff presence in the park - what is possible?

This is a long-term project for which a great deal of work will be required, not least because the application process is multi-staged, and if we are successful, work will not start on site until 2010 at best.  For more information and to get involved please contact: 

Jenny Claydon, Project Manager & Landscape Architect, Development Services, Braintree District Council, Causeway House, Braintree, CM9 7HB

tel. 01376 551414 x 2565
fax. 01376 557787

or email: withampublicpark@braintree.gov.uk

If you would like information in another language or format please use the above contact details.