Catalogue description Hillsborough Community Development Trust

Management:

Foundation, 1990-1991 (X239/1/1)

Committees, 1989-2006 (X239/1/2)

Annual General Meetings, 1991-2002 (X239/1/3)

Policies, [1995] (X239/1/4)

Working Groups, 1990-2006 (X239/1/5)

Correspondence, 2006-2007 (X239/1/6)

Premises, 2003-2004 (X239/1/7)

Finance:

Annuals Reports & Statements of Accounts, 1992-2006 (X239/2/1)

Business Plans, [1991] - [2004] (X239/2/2)

Project Funding, 1997-2005 (X239/2/3)

Fund Raising, 1990-2005 (X239/2/4)

Consultancy, 1991-1993 (X239/2/5)

Promotion:

Newsletters, 1994-2003 (X239/3/1)

General Background, 1991-2004 (X239/3/2)

Projects:

Employment Action Hillsborough, 1991 (X239/4/1)

Hillsborough Walled Garden, 1992 (X239/4/2)

Hillsborough Coach House, 1992-1997 (X239/4/3)

Sheffield VOICE, 1992 (X239/4/4)

Hillsborough Park Good Dog Scheme, 1993 (X239/4/5)

Hillsborough Park Partnership & Regeneration, 1994-2006 (X239/4/6)

Various Project Reviews, 1995 (X239/4/7)

Hillsborough Play Centre, [1995]-1996 (X239/4/8)

Hillsborough Neighbourhood Botanic

Hillsborough Community Development Trust

Information in these records may be subject to access restrictions under the General Data Protection Regulation, or may be subject to exemptions from the Freedom of Information Act. For further information please refer to a member of staff.

These items were donated to Sheffield Archives in May 2009 and Aug 2016 by an ex-employee of the Hillsborough Community Development Trust.

• Charitable trusts
• Regeneration
• Economic and social development
• Leisure
• Environment
• Parks
• Gardens
• Memorial gardens
• Leisure time activities
• Gardening
• Volunteers
• Voluntary work
• Communities
• Community action
• Community development
• Community participation
• Community education
• Groups
• Community groups
• Self help

The Hillsborough Community Development Trust was formed out of Hillsborough's Neighbourhood Revitalisation Scheme (NRS), a partnership arrangement established in 1984 between the National Home Improvement Council and Sheffield City Council to provide a home and environment advice service to local owner-occupiers and private tenants, and to encourage people to become involved in projects that improved the Hillsborough area. The establishment of a community trust (first mooted in 1989) was seen as a way of continuing and expanding on the NRS scheme, whilst devolving some of its management to local people.

The Trust was launched in May 1990 and formally established on 1st April 1991. Founder members included local residents', tenants', traders' and community groups and associations. Its remit was to develop the environmental, educational and social facilities of the Sheffield 6 area. To that end it aimed to provide facilities for information, recreation and leisure time occupation; assist charitable institutions established for the benefit of the community; bring together public, private and voluntary agencies and organisations; improve the environment; foster greater community identity and promote community stability and self-reliance; establish community resource centres providing facilities for free advice, information, recreation and social welfare; and to promote and encourage opportunities and facilities for children and young people in the Hillsborough area.

The Trust was a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity. It had volunteer Trustees and Directors, Management and Executive committees and a number of working/advisory groups. It was funded by voluntary donations, fund raising activities and work placement schemes. 'Sister' companies to the Trust were the Hillsborough and District Buildings Preservation Trust (also a registered charity) and Hillsborough Pride Limited (Trading Company). Responsibilities of the Trust included the Walled Garden in Hillsborough Park, Wardsend Cemetery, Neepsend landfill site and capacity building in the Owlerton area.

The rennovation of the walled garden in Hillsborough Park was the Trust's first major project. Originally the kitchen garden for Hillsborough Hall (now Hillsborough Library), ownership passed to Sheffield City Council in 1903, and for 80 years it was the nursery and training centre for the Council's horticulturists. By 1990 the site had been earmarked for development as a parking area for goods vehicles. In response to this, a group of local parents approached the Trust, and together with several local interest groups a working group was formed to put forward an alternative plan for the site as a community garden. The City Council subsequently released the site in July 1991. The work of volunteers, colleges, schools, local training schemes and people fulfilling Community Service Orders ensured the garden opened to the public in April 1992. H.R.H. The Duke of Kent officially opened the gardens in June 1993. In that year the garden received an 'Improving the Local Environment' award, followed in 1994 by an Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management 'Open Space Management' award.

During its existence funding for specific projects and staff posts was secured from a number of agencies. Initial funding for the Walled Garden in particular came from the Hillsborough Disaster Fund; and at various times the Trust received financial support from management fees from the Sheffield Intermediate Labour Market programme (ILM), the Single Regeneration Budget, the Landfill Tax Rebate Scheme, South Yorkshire Key Fund Partnership, the Community Learning Chest and Sheffield City Council. In addition, the Trust received project funding from the Sheffield Community Enterprise Development Unit (of which it was a corporate member).

A match day litter-picking service run in conjunction with the nearby Sheffield Wednesday Football Club generated income for the Trust of £3,000 a year. Income was also generated through fund-raising activities, the Hillsborough Gala, open-air theatrical events, plant sales, refreshments, donations and publications.

The Trust offered work placements to local unemployed people, and in conjunction with the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NACRO) a number of trainees were employed in the day to day maintenance of the Hillsborough walled and wildlife gardens. Another scheme, in conjunction with Action for Employment, employed trainees in regular maintenance work at Wardsend Cemetery. Between 2003 and 2004 the Trust hosted placements under the Sheffield ILM programme, supporting development workers and trainees, garden workers, janitor and a publicity and publications worker. Additional voluntary posts created included a funding and finance worker, gardener/florist, project coordinator and building maintenance worker.

Elsewhere the Trust ran the Agewell Group and Agewell Arts Group, based on the Eskdale Estate, Eskdale Road in Hillborough. This was part of an inclusion project, providing a range of regular activities for the active disabled. It also advised residents about security issues through the Senior Safe Project, in conjunction with local police, and assisted residents applying for funding for environmental improvements.

The Trust worked closely with other local organisations, including the Hillsborough Park Steering Group on the Park Partnership, and Hillsborough and Owlerton Neighbourhood Forum (HONF) to help formulate plans for the development of the local area. It established a Local History Group for Hillsborough and Owlerton in 2003, supported the Friends of Wardsend Cemetery, and encouraged people back into education by offering taster courses in art, computing and photography.

Other local organisations were offered support and resources by the Trust, including help with the development and production of promotional materials, leaflets, posters and funding applications; and the provision of office services, advice on CVs, job applications and interviews.

A bi-monthly newsletter, 'Hillsborough Highlights', was published to promote the work of the Trust. This was first produced in 1994, and later renamed 'Sextette', 'The Secret Garden' (one issue only in 2003) and 'Hillsborough Alive'.

The Trust went into voluntary liquidation in April 2007 due to a lack of funding and a drop in membership, supporters and active volunteers. Additionally, the lack of funding to support the Walled Garden which led to it being passed back into local authority control in 2005 left the Trust without any ongoing projects, and without sufficient resources or man-power to develop any new ones. Hillsborough Pride (Trading Company) had been dissolved in September 2002.