Press release - 22 October 2001
George Elliott wrote, “The growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts”. I would like to write about some of such ‘unhistoric acts’ that are taking place in Manchester, in Benchill to be precise. Benchill, part of the Wythenshawe estate, came top of the deprivation league in the UK last year. Whatever the statistics at the time, a colourful regeneration is happening at present. Not ‘regeneration’ in the narrow sense it is usually employed - the investment of government funds - but regeneration as a movement of people. Deprivation after all has social, economical, historical and spiritual sides which all need to be acknowledged and addressed. Government alone will not be able to regenerate this (or any other) area and connect its people. The transformation needs to come from within.
Where does regeneration begin and end? I would like to endeavor to formulate an answer. It begins and ends with people who are committed to hard graft on principles they believe in and who fail to accept that poverty and deprivation in the UK is part of society's make-up. It has been said that communities do not decline overnight and therefore strategies for their regeneration cannot be instant fixes. Since regeneration has both a physical, moral and social side, these mountains of deprivation need to be climbed by each sector of the Wythenshawe community.
Let me start with the residents. Willow Park Housing Trust has been functioning well for a number of years and maintains good contact with various local resident associations. Thus, residents take a role when organizing, planning and administering regeneration. People who have chosen to opt in the democratic process and who are willing to engage in a difficult debate, form a committed community that contributes to the welfare of the area, plugging away at grass roots level.
Next, there is strong commitment from the Wythenshawe police, who recently launched the ‘Operation Renewal’, aiming to tackle crime and anti-social behavior in the area, in conjunction with local action partnerships. They has been successful in their bid to secure funds for a drug and addiction officer in their attempt to constructively deal with the problems people face.
A third peoples' group in the area constitutes the churches in Wythenshawe who believe that transformation lies at the heart of the Gospel. Through changing government administrations, the church is a consistent presence. Regeneration indeed also needs faith to address a hopelessness where policies will never bring about change.
Then there is the government whose programs such as New Deal and Sure Start are designed for partnership. As such, Paul Goggins, MP, is excelling in his commitment to transformation and skillfully represents the Wythenshawe community in the corridors of power. On a local governmental level, the Wythenshawe Partnership, supported by the Government’s Single Regeneration Budget, is indeed part of the ‘City Pride’, not just in name but also in its functioning. And so, these and other peoples groups (businesses, schools) are leading change in which they recognize and honour the pluralism of essential voices and the legitimacy of the various centers of power that are committed to transformation.
In Benchill, with its former pockets of intense deprivation, where problems of unemployment, crime, poor health, housing and education are interrelated, I believe a corner has been turned. ‘Regeneration’ is a people’s movement for change that is gathering pace. Each sector is invited to take up its rightful responsibility to solve the area’s monumental problems. A process in which ‘partnership’ seems to be key, a rich web of relationships and participation of residents, government, police, schools and church aiming to work together in climbing those mountains. Because one things is sure... we need to climb together. Joined up we stand a chance, where divided we would fail.
There is always a tension between personal choice and corporate responsibility. We cannot merely have our hope in the power of the state to transform lives, neither can we sink in disillusionment with its politics. We all- public, police, pastor and politician- must seize the opportunity to work for the change in this community. As it will start with us, it goes down the street and across our communities. Whether it is deprivation in Benchill, racial tensions in Oldham, or the drugs culture in Moss Side, we all have our own mountains to climb in Manchester. It needs envisioned people who have hope for change. And so, working towards what is possible, these ‘unhistoric acts’, these day-to-day commitments shape the society. This type of commitment, whether it is to welfare in Benchill, peace in Moss Side or reconciliation in Oldham, will indeed make for historic acts.
For media enquiries: Marijke Hoek: 07762 627568