Our role as a provider of critical facilities services for the MOD, means that we are uniquely positioned to make a long-lasting impact in the areas in which we operate, and it helps us ensure social value is embedded across all our operations.
At Catterick Garrison, we’re beginning an exciting, new social value initiative, known as e50k, which will provide opportunities for local military families to feel a part of their thriving community and enable them to work together to enhance the lived experience of everyone living on the Garrison.
The operations team at Catterick Garrison are all connected to the military. The objective of the new initiative is to empower all those impacted by ‘service living’, those married to, or family members of, British service personnel, both in the UK and overseas, by enhancing and developing their unique environments. It has four key principles:
Engagement – engage & empower a community of support through co-design.
Education – establish & enable educational opportunities leading to employment and empowerment.
Employment – recognise & support employment opportunities in isolated militarised communities.
Enterprise – identify & nurture community projects as a vehicle to enhance lived experience.
What will happen at Catterick Garrison?
According to the 2020 Community Needs Analysis (CNA) there are minimal areas for outdoor pursuits within Catterick and we know how important it is for people to have access to green spaces where they can come together and engage with the community.
Within the Garrison there is a small allotment and garden space known as the Hipswell Habitat, which is currently managed by two volunteers with no funding.
Across the wider site there is a smaller woodland area known as Bramble Woods which has the potential to become a thriving conservation woodland for flora and fauna conservation and a wonderful space for forest school and outdoor learning activities. It is currently in a bad state of repair with a not-fit-for purpose boardwalk due to lack of funding or maintenance. e50K sought independent funding to bring the woodland back to life for current and future military families living and settling across the Garrison.
The first project involves redevelopment of the current garden area and e50K will work with local schools who will be able to design different concepts within the space, employing fundamental principle of co-design and co-production of community projects.
Other projects taking place over the next 12 months will be the building of the community and commercial allotment site and the development of the woodland area.
The project will be developing a profitable community coffee and local produce shop sourced from the allotment and creating local employment and training opportunities.
A creative space for nature inspired arts and micro-biz benches to people who are establishing their own businesses will be on offer.
Amey is supporting the overall development of e50K and specifically the garden design concept with the view of encouraging participation in the wider environments of Catterick Garrison.