Safer
Spaces is funded by the Housing Corporation and sponsored
by Provident Financial. The programme follows on from Free
Form’s highly successful Building Communities programme,
and will work with Registered Social Landlords, their tenants,
residents, and partners to create safe community spaces that
people want to live, play and work in.
Safer
Spaces will work in the Thames Gateway boroughs of Barking
and Dagenham, Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower
Hamlets and Waltham Forest. With over 200,000 new homes planned
for the area, a significant proportion of which will be ‘affordable’,
Registered Social Landlords have an opportunity to make a
real contribution to the future of Londoners.
Meg Hillier,
London Assembly Member, gave the keynote speech saying:
"This
exciting initiative will help create communities that are
built to last. If registered social landlords want to avoid
the problems of some of their predecessor council landlords
they need to build communities, not just homes.
"The
clear message from the Mayor and the Government is that tackling
crime and making people safer is a top priority. Registered
social landlords need to demonstrate that they can create
long term, sustainable and safe communities in order to receive
funding and support. I am particularly delighted that Free
Form’s long standing work in this area has been recognised
by the Housing Corporation."
Hazel
Goldman, Associate Director at Free Form said
We are
pleased to launch Safer Spaces, which, we believe, will make
a real contribution to designing liveable spaces in East London’s
Housing Estates. Creative approaches will enable registered
social landlords and local people to imagine and propose new
solutions to community safety issues.
Rt. Hon
Keith Hill MP, Minister for Planning and Housing, in a written
message expressed his support by saying :
I would
like to offer my support to Free Form in undertaking this
valuable project which will contribute towards meeting government
objectives in delivering safer and more cohesive communities.
Through its work with housing associations and their residents
in East London, I look forward to hearing how Free Form uses
a variety of creative approaches to engender greater resident
involvement and community safety.
For
more information on Safer Spaces please contact Rachel Fisher
at Free Form Arts Trust on 0207-249-3394 or Rachel@freeform.org.uk
