The Beacon Project

Hazel Stuteley OBE

"A project which turned around an estate in Cornwall in the grips of strife and fear", Tony Blair – Nye Bevan Awards –July 5th 1999

Listed below are just some of the outcomes when two Health Visitors set about reversing the decline and improving the health and social status of the community they served. Never was the adage "mighty oaks from small acorns grow" more appropriate than the story of the Beacon Project.

1995-1999

• Overall crime rate dropped by 50%
• Child Protection Registrations dropped by 42%
• Post Natal Depression down 70%
• Childrens educational attainment up 100%
• Reduced number of unwanted teenage pregnancies
• Unemployment rate down 71% [male and female]

A community reborn

Rebecca's story – Old Hill 1995

The flashpoint came simultaneously for us both; literally in Rebecca’s case, when she witnessed the family car ignite following the planting of an incendiary device. She was 11 years old then and although physically unhurt, she was deeply traumatised by this. Already in mourning for her friend's pet rabbit and tortoise recently butchered by thugs, this was the final straw.

As family Health Visitor for the previous 5 years, I was a regular visitor to her home. Her mum was a frequent victim of domestic violence and severely postnatally depressed. My caseload had many similar families with multiple health and social problems. Seeing Rebecca and her families deep distress, I vowed then and there that change must happen if this community was to survive. I had been watching it spiral out of control for long enough.

Setting the scene: 1995

Penwerris [comprising Old Hill and Beacon estates]

• Population 6000-1500 homes
• Largest and poorest council estate in Cornwall [poorest county in England]
• Unemployment rates 30% above the national average

It really did not have a lot going for it. Picture row upon row of grey terraced housing and low rise blocks, erected pre-war to house the once thriving docks industry, clinging to the side of a hill, situated "cheek by jowl" alongside the otherwise affluent, picturesque marinas and beaches of the town of Falmouth. The docks used to employ 3000 but now employ less than 100 on a part time basis. The estate had become a "dumping" ground over many years for vulnerable families with little choice. In short, a recipe for disaster. Violent crime, intimidation and substance misuse was rife in this community which had no social networks or community spirit of any kind. A perfect medium for the minority of bullying families in which to flourish and exert control.

It was getting worse, but everyone, including the statutory agencies, seemed to be looking the other way. Everyone except my Health Visitor colleague Phil Trenoweth. 4000 of the residents were registered with our practice, accounting for approximately a third of our caseload, but the seemingly bottomless pit of need which they presented filled our working days with crisis referrals and harrowing child protection cases.The truth gradually dawned that we had a unique overview of the spiral of decline and that unless we were prepared to instigate change nobody else would.

Vision to reality

The vision... to enable and empower the community to take control of its own destiny and reverse the decline.

Reality began one Friday in March 95 when we diverted the phones and spent a day producing an action plan, which was to become the Beacon Project. A Beacon symbolises light and communication in dark times which seemed appropriate as times could not have been darker! Although spurred on by our belief in the capacity of our families to change, we never in our wildest dreams, imagined that they would achieve such a dramatic turn round.

Initial steps

Stage one: March 1995

• Raise awareness to statutory agencies of impending crisis by arranging series of multi agency lunchtime meetings [we provided food!]
• Explore with Director of Social Services, the possibility of having a practice based social worker to free up Health Visitor time

Outcomes

• Embryonic Partnership formed with committed agencies; Education, Local Government Housing officer and Health [us]
• Social Services Director agrees to fund 1 year pilot of practice based S.W.

Stage 2

• Initiate communication networks between residents by the targeting of “key” tenants who we considered had the necessary qualities to engage their peers
• Arrange series of "listening fora" for tenants and residents to identify their problems.

Outcomes

• 5 out of 20 tenants targeted agree to join the project and form the Penwerris Tenant and Resident Association
• They produce a newsletter [funded by Tenant Participation Officer] "Penwerris People" and visit every home on the estate to issue invitation to "listening fora"
• Initially poorly attended these ultimately attract approx. 150 extremely vociferous and angry residents
• Main topics of concern emerge as low police presence, fear of crime, and damp, cold housing.

Stage three: March 1996-1997

• Set up dialogue between residents, police and Local Government Housing dept.
• Begin process of channelling community anger into community spirit.

Outcomes

• Meeting with police, leading to Neighbourhood Watch schemes, Crime and Disorder Partnership and increased police presence on estate
• Complete rebirth of community spirit leading to activities for all age groups
• Penwerris Tenant and Resident Association successfully bid for Capital Challenge Funding and are awarded £2.2 million pound to improve housing
• Tenant and Resident led Beacon Community Regeneration Partnership formed, initially consisting of representatives from Education, Health, Police and Local Government, set up to oversee spending of £2.2 million.

Conclusion

'Momentum and magic': 1997-2001

The momentum over the next few years, created by these simple moves was to prove unstoppable. The estate and its community have gone from strength to strength as born out by the dramatic outcomes listed at the beginning. Gone are the grey days, the houses and blocks now transformed by bright cladding in vibrant colours which looks good and keeps out the cold. Gardens bloom again encouraged by competitions and prizes for all age groups and abilities. Perhaps surprising to some the bullying families remain, but these days tow the line, now that their power base has disappeared.

300 properties now have central heating, and insulation measures have now improved over 900 properties. Young families are now up in the winter mornings, getting on with their lives instead of staying in bed to keep warm.

Two empty shops have been converted. One is now Beacon Community Resource centre, helping people back to work by providing “one off” grants. It buzzes with activities, educational and recreational. The other is the Beacon Care Centre which provides a range of on-site primary care services highlighted by residents as key to improving their health and reducing unwanted teenage pregnancies.

87% of residents now feel safe due to increased street lighting and CCTV in trouble spots, key to this has been the successful "crime and disorder" partnership between police and local government housing officers.

The list could go on and on.......a skateboard park…. safe play areas where children once stoned each other! WHAT ABOUT THE MAGIC?

The magic for us as health professionals came from "leading from behind", enabling and empowering. Watching the community grow in self belief and esteem as they clocked up more and more achievements. Sitting at the back of the hall witnessing change has been an unforgettable, "hairs at the back of the neck" experience. As for Rebecca, she’s just passed 3 A levels and has been accepted to train as a midwife. Proof, if proof were needed that dreams can come true.

| Article about the Beacon Estate in the Guardian |

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