Campaigning for a secondary school for Knebworth, Woolmer Green, Datchworth, Oaklands & Codicote

We are really trying to listen and see what our community feels it most needs and wants.

We have a unique opportunity currently to utilise any development around Knebworth, and have the profits donated totally back to the community. This is an offer in accordance with the current North Herts LDF, and is on the table right now.

We are researching, and really want feedback into which facilities we feel would benefit us all most. Let me know what you would like – a new playground, wetland nature area, more facilities for the more senior residents, a swimming pool…

It is an unusual chance for a community to enable itself. What would you most like here, if it was all up to you… we are waiting to hear from you.

Have a great week,
Jules

This weeks homework!

In order to get an accurate idea of what we can create as a community, it is necessary to get some accurate quotes and that is what we are working on currently.

We need to work out what it may cost to build an underpass below the railway if necessary, plus the build costs of houses, both affordable and not as planning policy guides us on what percentages are necessary. There is also the amenities to supply to the site and local infrastructure to factor in. A huge amount of information to collaborate.

If we could get a feasibility study commissioned we would be very excited, as that would be an independent study examining the funding requirements in detail. It would also investigate the hurdles that need to be crossed and how to best overcome them to the benefit of the community.

It may not be the most exciting part of the vision for our school and villages, but an important part of making it happen!

Enjoy your day!
Jules

Well this has been quite a week for a busy mum of three who used to be a child-minder! Firstly we had the Woolmer Green open evening for anyone to come along, meet us and find out about the campaign.  We had said we would be there from 8 to 10pm but we were full by 7.40! It was great, although very busy evening, with lots of questions asked and some great options and points raised. A very positive evening with plenty of encouraging feedback!

Then Wednesday we had the Parish council Meeting in Knebworth –  where I have lived for the past ten years. The meeting’s agenda was for the LDF to be discussed, and then the We Need a School Campaign was invited to present and the chairman would host a short question and answer session.

Things got somewhat out of hand as residents local to the proposed site had justifiably come to air their views. I was quite shocked as I would much prefer to discuss how we can adapt our plans to work together as a community to get the community benefits we all want.

Hopefully in the future there will be a more suitable forum for everyone to come together as a community and decide what they would like. If the location of the the school isn’t a problem but the location of the proposed houses is then  lets look how we can change it.  If some people feel we need to include other community  facilities then lets see how we can make it happen.

We just need positive dialogue, so we can work it out. It must be better than just letting houses outside of our control be built and the community not benefitting!

Some very interesting points were raised at the meeting, we realise we need to check the funds required, and make sure our idea is viable and we need to look what happened in Wheathampsted. When the residents were given a new secondary school it closed 20 years later – where has that left the residents now? What really happened? We will research and the results will be published on the site!

There were also other questions: effects on public transport, the current local primary schools and more… Keep checking our website as we research these necessary points.

We know there are hurdles, but as a community, if we can discuss this project with an open, positive dialogue then maybe we can find a way to usilise the funds on offer to improve the quality of life for all of us.
I have not heard a similar opportunity to enable our society by using village profits and I hope we decide to work together and enrich our lives!

The campaign is flowing forward beautifully, so are having we an open evening on September 7th, 8-10pm, at Woolmer Village Hall, so you can come and meet us, and ask any questions you may have.

I am then going to be doing a nerve racking but short presentation at Knebworth Village Hall to the community, so the Knebworth Parish can gage support- that will be somewhere between 8 and 10 pm, on the 9th September, (according to the agenda, as they are also going to be discussing other development issues).
The more people there to hear the presentation the better- you can learn about the campaign, and show your support.

Please come, join us, and play a positive part in the future of our villages, facilities and education.

It is amazing how many people have come forwards to support us and help- everything is appreciated- from giving out leaflets to your neighbours- to designing a flyer, many thanks to you all.

I hope to see you on the 7th at Woolmer Green, or if you have no unanswered questions, on the 9th at Knebworth Village Hall.

The community thanks you for your support,

Jules

Our campaign is doing fantastically. There is simply no other way to put it!
We have only been going – since the very first conversation I had with friends at the rec – about 11 weeks!

We now have huge public and community support and we have had some amazing meetings with very influential people, who realize the value to the community we are going to provide.

We recently had a very positive meeting with Simon Newland (director of British Schools for the Future), Justin Donovan (Schools, Education and Families), and Richard Thake (Executive Member for Education). We discussed our campaign in depth, and we have now given them a structured proposal. We are meeting again in September to see how we can move forwards.

You have probably seen the boards up, courtesy of Putterills, around our villages on main routes – if you would like one, as they are going to be moved around every few weeks, head to the site and send me a contact form enquiry.
The artwork for the posters for local businesses and houses – doors and windows – is now ready to be printed (thanks to Rod Williams of KGK), and distributed, if you are able print some posters, (A3, A4 or A5), or would like to give some out, or display one – get in touch!

Thank you so much to all the people who are offering their help and services daily. The feeling of this public support is inspiring.

There are some very exciting events being planned – so watch this space. Encourage people to sign the petition (over 1000 names now), and if that doesn’t feel like enough – get involved!

We particularly need help with the colour printing of posters, and also the printing and delivery to individual houses of 10,000 flyers.
We are also planning a “meet at the site” event for early September – we would like to have a few facilities available for when everyone arrives at the site.
If you want to be involved, we are very appreciative of your help. We would like everyone to have a fun family experience, so whether you have an ice-cream van, bouncy castle, or a generator, all would be useful!

These facilities will rejuvenate our community and benefit everyone – from kids staging their own local concert at our state of the art theatre, to people keeping fit in the woodlands and recreation area, to children being educated locally, and walking and cycling to school, to future generations living in a healthier environment due to the saving of thousands of journeys by road to their “nearest, or only available” school!

Have a great week!
Jules

This week I would like to say a big thank you to our volunteers and sponsors.
Although the volunteers work hard and give their time freely to benefit their community, we still have some small costs- the domain names, printing and design, marketing charges, etc.
It really is heartwarming to see and feel the community spirit as so many people have now come forward and offered their time, services, sponsorship and cash.
The volunteers are working hard to do all the things that take time and effort- maintaining, supporting and updating the website, fundraising and gathering sponsorship, researching, printing, writing, editing, and performing all kinds of less specific roles, without people even being aware.
We could not have covered nearly as much ground without this incredible group of selfless individuals, sometimes even having to rearrange things to give the campaign immediate attention.
I feel extremely blessed to have you all fulfilling your roles, and working together so well.

Here’s some fun at Hitchen Lavender Fields!

A big thanks to you all…

Our petition is doing really well, and shows the community cares about the new school and leisure facilities the villages so desperately need….

Daisy Pomerance is cheering us on!

Please help us help you, sign the petition, get your family to sign, and send it to everyone who cares about our village life- ask them to send it on, we are the voice of the villages,make a difference today- now-

Thank you so much,

Jules