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ABOUT

Friends of Corbett Meadows has been  formed as an umbrella group to bring the work of Corbett Meadow Action Group,  Stourbridge Community Development Trust and other stakeholders together in strongly opposing plans for housing development on this unique local green space, whilst proposing an innovative plan for management of the land as an Eco health and Wellbeing centre. This would see the land used for social prescribing and environmental educational purposes in line with emerging thinking that hyper local green spaces are essential if we are to improve health outcomes here in the Dudley/ Stourbridge area and in the country as a whole.   We also look to prove that this makes economic sense and that the use of capital receipts through the sale of land and assets to prop up budgetary deficiencies is short term thinking and that we need to invest in the health and wellbeing of local communities if we are to address issues of resilience , sustainability and climate change 

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FRIENDS

Friends of Corbett Meadow are supported by a wide range of local organisations all of whom are committed to the overall vision of the Meadow as a an Eco Health and Wellbeing hub.

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LANCE CARTWRIGHT

Corbett Meadow Action Group

a resident of Amblecote since 1987 but with strong memories of tales from my parents about the Corbett Hospital fetes and also of losing my tonsils there! It is just too precious a site in every sense to lose - a unique urban green space in the heart of the community with enormous potential.

 

I was elected as spokesman for CMAG and am doing my best to coordinate and administer a host of activities to ensure that our campaign to save the meadow is successful in the interest of not only those who have lived all of their life in Amblecote but importantly for the future generations.

 

 

I was a local government officer at Dudley Council for 40 years and retired from the position of Head of ICT Services in 2014 and now undertake a number of voluntary roles in the community such as Amblecote History Society, a plot holder at Amblecote Allotment Guild and an active Trustee at Stourbridge Navigation Trust.

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HELEN COOK

Corbett Meadow Action Group

"The Corbett Meadow has been in my life for 68 years, from an early age it has provided me with a lifelong love and interest in natural history, leading me to join various groups such as the RSPB, WWT, Wildlife Trust.

This lead the way to part of my working life in the outdoors and into Horticulture.

I am involved in the running of Amblecote History Society, having gained an interest in the history of the "The Hill' estate and mansion and John Corbett, who purchased it to convert as a hospital for the people of Stourbridge and the surrounding areas to give something back to the area of his birth.

I am very privileged to say that I look at the meadow everyday, I can guarantee that a green field holds more peace and relaxation than prescribed drugs, as the meadow has a deep emotional attachment for me as it has provided that inner peace for mental health issues that I have unfortunately experienced in my life"

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PAUL WATSON

Corbett Meadow Action Group

CMAG is supported by independent planning & urban design consultant Paul Watson BA Hons, Dip TP, MRTPI

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ELLEN HOPE COBB

Environmental Activist

Ellen has been an active member of Corbett Meadow Action group from day one helping to bring together naturalist and local wildlife organisations together in defence of the Meadow. 

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Eddy Morton 

Stourbridge Community Development Trust

Eddy Morton is a founder member of SCDT who have created a number of projects including the Stourbridge PowerHaus affordable Housing scheme on brownfield land on Enville Street, the New Histories project in Lye and now work as development managers for wMUCH,  the West Midlands hub for the creation and support of Community led Housing projects through the West Midlands. He is also co owner of Katie Fitzgeralds ( Katies Secret Garden)  in Enville Street, Stourbridge. 

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MICHAEL JS LILLEY

Conservation Officer

Michael JS Liley.  Bsc(Hons). C&G cert in Bio-Survey

Resident in Stourbridge for 9 years with partner Sue. Previously lived in Hartlebury.

Retired former Conservation Officer & ecologist, botanist, land management specialist with the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust: 20 years+ service; previously worked on rivers site designations with English Nature. Also worked for ADAS Welsh Office and the Nature Conservancy Council in Scotland.

With a recent 2-decade track record as part of my work of helping to conserve species-rich grasslands across Worcestershire and protect them from damage and destruction but also working closely with landowners across Worcestershire and the West Midlands, through the system of agri-environment grant schemes to promote positive management of these habitats, I am passionate about saving our wildflower meadows. 

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LOCAL COUNCILLORS

Corbett Meadow Action Group

As local Councillors we would be very interested in further investigation of the green social prescribing element and alternative vision proposed by SCDT regards the future of the historic Corbett Meadow. 

 

We feel this site should not be developed for residential housing and would welcome more communication from NHS partners toward a future for this land that would benefit the residents of Amblecote and Stourbridge that philanthropist John Corbett had originally intended.

 

Kind regards

Councillors Paul Bradley, Pete Lee and Kamran Razzaq

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Robert Bevan -Jones

Author and Historian

 I am a writer who has written several books on history including titles on historical ecology and glass history. I have been helping the group with various kinds of historical research and have

produced "The Last Meadow" document, co-written with Helen Cook, all about the meadow, which is being serialised by The Blackcountryman Magazine, the first section is being published in September 2022.

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Dr Jane Bridgewater

Corbett Meadow Action Group

Dr Jane Flint Bridgewater 

 

began her Consultant Cardiologist career at the Corbett Hospital, she and her patients appreciating the green meadow outlook of the hospital.  She pioneered as Medical Director of Action Heart to 2020 a walking tutorial ‘Cardiac Rehabilitation on the Move’ over Barrow Hill behind Russells Hall from 2005, and the mental stimulus of a green classroom is now widely recognised. “I believe the constructive use of Corbett Meadow as a green space for lifelong health and education for the local community is just what John Corbett envisaged, and the adjacent links could provide a unique and pioneering green activity resource for the future”.

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