YOUR Square Mile is delighted to be working with the residents and parish council of Ledbury, supported by Heineken.

We are a not-for-profit organisation, set up to provide practical support to people who want to make positive change in their community.

Our website – yoursquaremile.co.uk – offers a top-to-toe toolkit for changing your neighbourhood. Our mutual offers practical benefits to assist local projects.

We have already worked in 16 communities throughout the UK and have doubled regular, constructive, contact between citizens and their local authorities; increased from 50 per cent to 63 per cent the number of people who feel they can influence local decisions and launched a large number of new projects as well as strengthening others.

We believe that real change comes from within a community and is driven by local people; it isn’t imposed externally.

That’s why we have already consulted a wide range of organisations within Ledbury from schools to the police to voluntary groups.

We are working closely with the Town Planning Steering Group and have timed our workshop next Wednesday to brainstorm issues and ideas that emerge form the new Town Plan discussions on Saturday.

Clearly, Ledbury is a thriving market town with beautiful buildings and a rich heritage.

As with all communities it still has its issues such as young people needing more opportunities, elderly people feeling isolated and the need for a central community hub where a wide variety of people can interact.

Heineken colleagues and Your Square Mile will be working with local businesses and community groups to help tackle these and other identified needs.

Our workshop is now full but its outcomes and details on how local people can get involved in projects will be published on a new local website.

We also hope to keep you updated through the Ledbury Reporter.

PAUL TWIVY

Founder and CEO,

Your Square Mile