LEARNING CURVE
JENNETTE EMERY-WALLIS
learning curve
By Jennette Emery-Wallis, LUC
t first glance the Calver-
ley Adventure Grounds
project was not particu-
larly out of the ordinary in terms
of design brief or implementation.
What was unusual was that it was
a project initiated and largely
funded by a local group, The
Friends of Calverley Grounds,
who were working in collabora-
tion with the land owner Tun-
bridge Wells Borough Council to
enable the scheme.
Indeed it is an extraordinary
example of how a project can
galvanise a community to come
together and jointly fundraise,
successfully delivering a much
loved, highly valued play space
which now sits firmly at the heart
of the local community. Looking
back, the thing that strikes me
most was the sheer determination
of the small yet hugely dedicated
team of volunteers who took on
the extraordinary challenge to
raise £225,000 over a 12-month
period.
The project was made possible
because the group was well led
and structured, with key roles
and responsibilities established
from the outset. Some of the most
inventive aspects of the project
were linked to the fundraising and
social media campaigns which
were often wide and far ranging in
their scope, these included:
• More standard grant applica-
tion submissions (with two
significant landfill grants
successes totalling £75k and a
number of smaller grants rang-
ing from £5-4,000).
• A local business launch held
Jennette Emery-Wallis
and sponsored by Royal
A
Victoria Place, the town’s local
shopping venue, with many
invited companies coming
forward in the coming months
to support the project via direct
sponsorship of a piece of play
equipment or providing a much
needed service, volunteers, raf-
fle or auction prize.
• Timberplay, the play manufac-
turer who were supplying the
main elements of the scheme
generously donated several
pieces of equipment which gave
the project a big boost at the
start of the campaign.
• An ‘Eggstravaganza Easter’
community fun day held onsite
re-establishing a long lost egg-
rolling tradition in the grounds,
along with egg-and-spoon races
which helped to engage local
children and families in the
project and gain much use-
ful feedback to influence the
design.
• A Jam Jar Campaign which
reached out to local schools
and community groups to raise
funds through sponsored walks,
cake sales, raffles etc. with the
local branch of Metro bank col-
lecting the jars of coins (raising
£6000) and handing out money
boxes.
• A very smart ‘Black Tie Ball’
event with live auction (raising
an impressive £24,000)
• A highly cherished children’s
variety show of local talent,
held and supported by the as-
sembly halls (£20,000) which
acted as the final grand finale of
the fundraising campaign.
One campaign which I had
direct involvement with was the
‘Calverley Community Wall’
an initiative to encourage local
businesses, families and indi-
viduals to donate funds towards
the scheme and have their name
acknowledged within a piece of
public art designed by acclaimed
artist, Gordon Young, famed for
his Blackpool ‘Comedy Carpet’,
who the team had remarkably per-
suaded to become involved.
Consisting of 10 corten panels
attached along the face of an
existing retaining wall, the art
piece acts as a lasting legacy to the
collaboration of so many people;
and keeping true to staying local,
a nearby engineering company
stepped forward to help sponsor
and manufacture the laser cut
piece; with the wall contributing
over £40,000 towards the pro-
ject’s fundraising target.
All of these initiatives were
reinforced by a hugely effective
social media campaign using
Facebook and Twitter, supported
by a website and promotional film
(played before each film screen-
ing at the local Trinity Theatre
cinema), each helping to reach a
wide audience.
More traditional publicity
routes were not overlooked with
regular features and updates
appearing in local magazines and
council publications, whilst The
Times of Tunbridge Wells free
newspaper published a number of
articles.
Testament to the strength
and power of community, the
£225,000 target was raised within
24 hours of the 12-month dead-
line, marking a major milestone in
the project’s journey to fruition.
April 2018 | Landscape Insight
25