THE VISION
Corbett Meadows Eco Health and Wellbeing centre
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The vision is for the land to be used by NHS services and other local practitioners for social prescribing through a range of activities based around CMAG proposals for a Health and Wellbeing Pavilion linked closely to the hospital.
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We will show that the economic arguments for such a proposal are undeniable in the face of the challenges we face as a society and also in particular to health challenges in the Dudley / Stourbridge area.
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Allied to this we will provide further justification for alternative use of the land by involving multiple stakeholders such as local schools, 3rd Sector organisations , Dudley CVS , DMBC Health and wellbeing , the local allotments society and a whole range of local stakeholders who would both benefit from this project and in turn provide benefit to the retention of the land through its use as an educational open air classroom.
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These multiple stakeholders cut across a range of ideas and provisions including of course environmental education around our place in the world, how we can address the issue of climate change, food production through work around the allotments society and the local schools.
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All of this is possible alongside the health benefits of the social prescribing “ Green surgery “ approach and the resultant positive outcomes for the local community and the wider community of Dudley .
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We also believe this project will shine a positive light on all stakeholders and lead the way in showing that we can provide locally focused solutions to the issue of Health and Wellbeing over the next 25 to 50 years. This will in turn lead to a greater sense of social cohesion, enhanced view of local democracy and a sense of community ownership that will address many of the divisive issues of our time. We believe empowerment of local communities in this way is the road to net zero , which in turn is the road to sustainable , resilient communities of the future.
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We have a choice, this land can disappear in a heartbeat or provide a strong legacy for the future.
As part of our campaign to support the Corbett Meadows Action Group SCDT commissioned DJ to paint this view of the Meadow and an early visioning of its potential as a Health and Wellbeing Eco hub. It also is a fascinating master class in technique by DJ , in many ways highlighted by the process of speeding up the video. It also emphasises the key relationships that art and creativity can play in development of local communities. Whether thats in defence of green space at Corbett Meadow or here in Enville Street where SCDT have created the StourBridge PowerHaus affordable housing project the story is the same. We need a holistic approach if we are to create a new economy, building affordably on brownfield sites and protecting and using valuable green space for the benefit of local communities and encouraging creativity and enterprise. Selling land for capital receipts to prop up failing budgets is bad economics.
The Environmental Classroom
Creating an “ Outdoor classroom for environmental studies and learning would allow management of the site and also would enhance the biodiversity and unique nature of the Meadow over time . This would include continuation of some grazing, management of the meadow through selective re introduction of more native species
Allowing for wild flowers and management of grass through sowing of more clover would support butterflies, bees and enhance the flora and fauna of the site and
Management of trees would create more sites for diversity around insect life and bird populations.
This idea of an outdoor classroom allied to the ambition for an Eco lodge that would bring together the school , the allotment and the Meadow is in line with our need for a greater understanding of ecology and the natural world . In the next two years we will see GCSE’s in the natural environment become part of the overall curriculum and interest amongst younger people in preserving our environment has never been higher and will continue to grow as we achieve greater understanding of our place in the natural world.
The case for alternative use of the land is backed up the recently released WMCA Land Charter. The Charter sets out how Public landowners should take account of best consideration when disposing of land not just best value. This has been accepted by DMBC in our recent negotiations around land on Enville Street for the development of affordable environmentally friendly housing.
The land charter also talks about Public landowners taking a holistic view of how land can contribute to more inclusive growth and address the issue of net zero.
NHS disposal of this land for best value and short term capital receipts with out considering the alternative view and its relationship to the additional health and wellbeing benefits of retaining the land would be in contradiction of its own environmental policy documents. This clearly sets out an ambition to move towards net zero in all of its actions with all the resultant long term benefits the Health and wellbeing agenda.
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Empowering local communities
Stourbridge CDT, in our role as Development managers for wMUCH (West Midlands Urban Community Homes) has been part of the formation of recent Land Charter that looks to set out how public land ( and private land ) is used over next generation in order to move towards net zero
WMCA are also looking for unique projects that point the way to a more inclusive holistic use of public land and how it can relate not just to economic growth under our current models but how we get to net zero and create more sustainable growth and resilient communities for the future. The pandemic has been a lesson for us all in the way more resilient communities , ( those with access to open space and the ability to work remotely ) fared significantly better than those communities living in densely populated areas with little or no access to open space or shared public space.
Corbett Meadows outdoor health centre and classroom will be a unique development for the town of Stourbridge and will shine a positive light on the role of DMBC and the NHS in addressing all of the issues of climate change , inclusive growth and a more sustainable, healthy and happy society.
Shropshire Wildlife Trust
“Urban green space is a
necessary component for delivering healthy, sustainable and liveable cities. Urban green space interventions can deliver positive health, social and environmental outcomes for all population groups, particularly among lower socioeconomic status groups. There are very few, if any, other public health interventions that can achieve all of this.”
WHO, 2017
Shropshire Wildlife Trust (SWT) has a vision of a thriving natural world, where Shropshire's wildlife and natural habitats play a valued role in addressing the climate and ecological emergencies, and people are inspired and empowered to take action for nature. We combine projects across Shropshire (including Telford & Wrekin) with advocacy and campaigning to restore nature and to engage people. We manage over 40 nature reserves and have almost 50 staff, 300 volunteers, and over 9000 members. SWT is an autonomous charity, but we are increasingly working collectively, as part of The Wildlife Trusts (TWT), to ensure that our local actions have a national impact and help to address global issues.
Green Social Prescribing
in Practice
“Urban green space is a
necessary component for delivering healthy, sustainable and liveable cities. Urban green space interventions can deliver positive health, social and environmental outcomes for all population groups, particularly among lower socioeconomic status groups. There are very few, if any, other public health interventions that can achieve all of this.”
WHO, 2017
Humberside and Yorkshire
The Humber, Coast and Vale (HCV) Health and Care Partnership has secured funding to develop a ‘test and learn’ site for Green Social Prescribing (GSP) across our six places of East Yorkshire, Hull, North Yorkshire, Vale of York, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire.