Mayor helps wide-reaching community project mark 40 years of service

Hangleton and Knoll Project lauded for range and scale of work

The mayor led the plaudits for a remarkable community group and its staff, trustees and volunteers for 40 years of service.

She praised the Hangleton and Knoll Project at its annual general meeting (AGM) at St Richard’s Community Centre, in Egmont Road, on the Knoll Estate, in Hove.

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Councillor Jackie O’Quinn, the mayor of Brighton and Hove, congratulated the young dancers who opened what proved to be an AGM with a difference.

She handed out awards to volunteers, young achievers and women who had earned certificates in conversational English having learnt it as a second language.

Well over a hundred people packed the hall as a short film charted the work of the Hangleton and Knoll Project from the past to the present day.

The chair of trustees Patricia Weller and chief executive Jo Martindale spoke about some of the project’s many achievements, supporting thousands of people since 1983.

Pat Weller, one of the project’s founders, said: “This year we are proud to celebrate 40 years since the establishment of the Hangleton and Knoll Project by Barry Hulyer – and to celebrate some of the wonderful long-term achievements.”

These have included building Hangleton Community Centre, a complete redesign of St Richard’s Community Centre and improvements to Hangleton and Knoll parks.

The project has helped to bring changes to the Grenadier local shopping centre, including a safe crossing and an area of greenery, with trees also planted on the Knoll Estate.

It founded the biggest multicultural women’s group in Brighton and Hove and some 50 other groups to support residents.

And it has worked with doctors’ surgeries to give patients a voice, setting up what has become the West Area Health Forum, while also arranging food and other help and support during the coronavirus pandemic including the covid jab campaign.

Scores of people are given free computer and IT (information technology) training every year and help finding work while youth workers inspire young people and various activities cater for older age groups.

The treasurer Nick Goslett thanked the many organisations that helped fund the project’s work including Brighton and Hove City Council, NHS trusts and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

He also thanked others including the Sussex Community Foundation, the Pebble Trust, the National Lottery, the Trust for Developing Communities, Impact Initiatives, the Co-op and Waitrose.

Chief executive Jo Martindale said: “Our methods remain resident-led, asset-based, grassroots community development and, together with a huge range of partnerships with other voluntary organisations, ensure that our communities benefit from all the city has to offer.

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“Equally important is the ongoing work with our statutory partners at Brighton and Hove City Council and the NHS to support co-production and co-design processes.

“(This enables) those with the experience to know what changes will make the most impact to be involved at every stage of service development, commissioning and review.”

In the past year alone, she said, the trust had supported more than 3,500 people, raised £60,000 for the community and helped to bring in £780,000 to fund the building of a new youth centre in Knoll Park.

And it gave out food vouchers and Tesco vouchers to 96 families and 61 pensioners as the rising cost of living continued to bite – and energy-saving advice at two free workshops.