As 2024 comes to a close, I'm pleased to share some hard earned achievements from the Better Boscombe initiative. Between April and October, we've made significant strides toward transforming Boscombe, all thanks to the £22.7 million Towns Fund Grant allocated to our community.
Here's an overview of our progress, categorised by our revenue projects and capital building programs.
Revenue Projects: Empowering Our Community
Our revenue projects focus on enhancing employment prospects, health, and well-being across Boscombe. Key achievements from April to October 2024 include:
Entrepreneurial Support: Training and advice provided to 25 budding creative business owners.
Digital Upskilling: 57 individuals gained new qualifications through courses at the Boscombe Skills Hub.
Expanding Opportunities:
- 780 participants enrolled in programs at Kings Park Leisure and Learning Centre, with 458 earning certificates.
- 2069 visits to the Boscombe Digital Skills Hub on the High Street.
Parks in Mind Initiative:
- 145 sessions hosted, including gardening, yoga, stargazing, and poetry.
- 1601 people engaged, fostering physical and mental well-being.
Congratulations to everyone who completed or joined our programs! Your hard work drives Boscombe's transformation.
Boscombe Carnival: A Summer Spectacle
This year’s Carnival was a huge success:
- Artists and Participation: 36 local artists led workshops for 154 attendees.
- Community Impact: Over 1,000 people joined the parade and performances, with 14,000 visitors recorded on the High Street over the weekend, an increase from previous years!
Capital Building Program: Transforming Boscombe’s Landscape
Our capital projects are in full delivery mode, bringing tangible improvements to Boscombe's infrastructure and aesthetics.
Highlights of 2024:
- Kings Park Leisure Centre Transformation
Ongoing renovations to the ground floor include converting the Bowls Club into a multi-use sports hall, soft play area, and a café ideal for family events.
2. Hawkwood Road Neighbourhood Development
In June, we acquired the former WHSmith property. With planning permission secured, we're preparing to create a vibrant new community space featuring:
- A modern community centre.
- 68 new homes.
- A small public park.
3. High Street Revitalisation
- Renovations underway for 15 properties, starting with Superdrug's façade.
- 10 new shopfronts planned for 2025, alongside efforts to restore upper-floor spaces into homes.
- 39 out of 45 grants approved for High Street traders, leading to visible improvements like new signage, furniture, and displays.
4. The Old School House (TOSH)
- New windows and a heating system installed, enabling year-round flexible workspaces.
These developments signify Boscombe's evolution into a thriving hub for residents and businesses alike.
Looking Ahead: A Note from Martha Covell
As 2025 approaches, I'm preparing to pass on the torch as Programme Manager for Better Boscombe. After five incredible years, I'm moving on to new challenges--just a short journey away in Poole.
'It has honestly been a privilege to work on the programme over the past 5 years. It's been truly inspiring working with such committed community stakeholders and numerous willing officers in the Council who share our vision and enthusiasm for delivering some complex projects. As a Town Planner its been incredibly rewarding to create a masterplan with community buy-in and gain planning permission and funds to enable this significant programme to be delivered. The changes will benefit the lives of numerous people and improve the built environment in Boscombe for decades to come. We have done much of the hard work now and it is the right time for me to hand over to the team of project managers now in place. I look forward to seeing the projects being built out and the benefits that these will deliver, in particular the community centre, the public realm improvements the new shopfronts and park and 68 new homes!'.
Martha Covell
Outgoing Programme Manager, Better Boscombe
