Cumbria Environmental University Initiative
Project Status – August 2002
Quick Update. Since July’s status was written Allerdale Borough Council have written to say they will not be progressing expressions of interest until early 2003 as it will take that long to get Government funding for land cleanup. We replied (a) why not do both in parallel, (b) a university will change the remediation situation considerably and (c) why not do development more proactively – decide what you want – and offered support in this from Era Ltd...
The North West Development Agency have started an Urban Regeneration Company for Furness and West Cumbria, and Cumbria Country Council is moving on its Rural Action Zone – a Rural Regeneration Company for all of Cumbria. Both offer easy entry points, and partnership and funding possibilities. A meeting with Voluntary Action Cumbria yielded many useful contacts and opportunities. A couple of trial funding bids were submitted, to pay for the Regen School work, and to set up a team in Cumbria. And a contact from India is interested in a joint venture for an Ayurveda Health Centre – our Faculty of Natural Health..
FaWCURC. The North West Development Agency has started to set up Furness and West Cumbria Urban Regeneration Corporation. The name is abominable, but goes with a concept of ‘New Visions’. Never mind that these areas are mostly rural, and then only 1/3 of Cumbria. I have a background paper on this and am angling to get work with them, pitching my projects to put in a couple of regeneration engines in their Bailiwick – Regen School and CEU, plus my facilitation experience with Appreciative Inquiry, and the imagine Chicago model project. A Chairman has been appointed – Michael Hulme. I have written suggesting a meeting.
Voluntary Action Cumbria. Met 12th August with Kate Braithwaite, who heads VAC. She was introduced to me by Kate Griffiths of Price Waterhouse Coopers Higher Education Consulting. Kate Braithwaite was very positive and supportive. VAC is actually one of many County Rural Community Councils – one of the biggest and most effective, and strongly networked into all aspects of Cumbria. Kate suggested many initiatives and contacts (including the chief execs of Cumbria County Council and Allerdale District Council), and gave helpful background on local politics. Immediate possibilities include submitting a proposal of a Sustainable Uplands Centre within CEU. This is one of the BIG ideas for Cumbria’s Rural Action Zone. Kate heads the CCC BIG (Big Ideas Group). CEU is BIG!
Funding. The Regen School made some suggestions for submitting applications for grant funding to cover the Regen School’s own fees. I’ve made one submission for £4000 to Community Champions, funded by the Department of Education and Skills. I’ve also put in an preliminary bid for £50,000 to NESTA – National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, to pay to set up a team in Cumbria to take the CEU proposal to the next stage.
Ayurveda. Again through Kate Griffiths, and an old colleague of hers in Liverpool, Pamela Matfin, I’ve been contacted by an academic / entrepreneur in India who has a proposal to set up an Ayurveda Health Centre in the UK. Jagveer Rawat has access to faculty who can teach Ayurveda, Universities that can peer-review research and accredit academic courses, and to venture capitalists who might help fund this. I have contacted him suggesting the obvious synergies and advantages of associating with Cumbria Environmental University.
More. Actually, it’s been quite a slow month as I’ve been focussing on other things, I expect things will hot up as I start at the Regen School, and follow up Kate Braithwaite’s contacts.
David Saunders 13/8/02 01695 51018, mobile 07790 779470