Colchester and Winchester Streets

The Colchester and Winchester Streets flowerbed improvement project has been part-funded by the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV). Local residents group the Singer Residents Association initiated the project and the funding has allowed them to purchase tools and a tool store, to access training and to buy plants to plant up the neglected flowerbeds on the two streets.

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust were later awarded funding from Awards For All to work in partnership with Arts Exchange, a local community arts organisation, and local people to improve the surrounds of the flowerbeds through arts workshops. The workshops enabled local people to create clay tiles based on the brickwork on the houses on Colchester and Winchester Streets, to be attached to the newly painted concrete surrounds.

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust has now successfully secured funding from Liveability to continue to improve the two pedestrianised residential streets. A new landscape architect, Louise Kovarovic, has come up with streets designs based on the suggestions from the residents. The project will take place in August 2007.

Sheila, a resident of Winchester Street in Hillfields said:

"It is really nice to walk down my street and see the colourful plants and flowers where overgrown litter strewn bushes used to be. It's for all who pass through to enjoy."