TURNING THE TIDE

  With the closure of the coal mines in the 1980s and early 1990s, the National Trust was faced with the clean up of coastline that had been despoiled by waste from the collieries of the East Durham coalfields. An estimated 120-150 tonnes of coal waste had been tipped onto the beaches and cliff edges and raw sewage was being pumped onto the beaches through broken pipes. The local community had turned its back on the coast, using the area as a back yard for fly tipping, burning stolen cars on the surrounding grassland and motorbike scrambling.

  The National Trust joined together with 14 other organisations, including Durham County Council, the Environment Agency and the Durham Wildlife Trust to form the "Turning the Tide" partnership. The project was supported by a grant from the Millennium Commission to undertake what has been described as one of the most ambitious environmental regeneration projects in the country. Working with the coastguard, the police and, crucially, local volunteers the partners share tools, equipment and expertise to transform the environment on this stretch of coastline, develop local skills and employability, and restore people's enjoyment of their local area.

  Since tipping stopped, the beaches have been getting progressively cleaner, and part of the coast is now a Special Protection Area for birds—reflected by the return of the Sand Piper, the Redshank, the Oystercatcher and Turnstone. Wildflowers are increasing and local people and visitors are coming back to the coast. With the help of a dedicated training programme and with the assistance of a volunteer force of local people, the community has worked together to help bring this about. As a result tourism is beginning to provide a new form of income for those deprived communities along the coast.

  Turning the Tide was joint winner, with the Eden Project, in the Regeneration category of the RICS 2001 Building of the Year awards. The partnership won the award in recognition of the environmental improvements completed along 18km of what was one of the UK's most neglected coastlines. Much of this coast has now been designated a "Heritage Coast".

TOMORROWS HEATHLAND HERITAGE

  Tomorrow's Heathland Heritage is a national programme that aims to revive our lowland heather moorland and its wildlife, re-creating a landscape that benefits both people and wildlife. Led by English Nature and supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the consortium of partners are making great strides towards the national Lowland Heathland Biodiversity Action Plan targets of restoring 58,000 hectares of heathland and re-creating a further 6,000 hectares.

  One of the projects being undertaken is the Gower Commons Initiative. The commons of the Gower Peninsular are one of its most significant features and are valued by many, but unfortunately by no means all, as a resource for enjoyment. The aim of the project is to manage and maintain the commons and to raise people's awareness of their importance for nature conservation, archaeology, recreation and access through sustainable landscape management.

  The project covers eight commons on the Gower, and brings together the National Trust, the City and County of Swansea, the Gower Commoners Association, CCW, Llangenith Manors, the Gower Society and Somerset Trust. Much of the work is undertaken by the Commoners working together with volunteers and using traditional skills alongside modern mechanical ones. This has aided in the re-skilling and training of local people in traditional methods used to maintain the heathland.

  The project has also supported farmers through the clearance of encroaching scrub and, significantly, the installation of traffic management systems. One important benefit of the project is that it has prompted a campaign to slow down traffic on the peninsular. Much of the heathland has been restored successfully and rare habitats have been discovered in addition to significant archaeological finds such as hut circles. Work has been done to interpret the Commons, and English Nature are currently undertaking a survey on all homes on the Gower to use as a baseline comparison for awareness raising in the future.

  Critically the project has engaged local communities in their environmental heritage and built the capacity of individuals to respond to their own needs and the needs of others in the future.

THE WORKHOUSE—SOUTHWELL

  For over 150 years the Workhouse at Southwell housed the local poor. Built in 1824 by the Reverend John Beecher, the Workhouse was used by Beecher to introduce a revolutionary but harsh welfare system. This system was adopted nation-wide after the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834. The building is the least altered workhouse structure in existence today and, since this and other workhouses across the country continued to provide accommodation for the poor well into the 20th century, it plays an important role in our understanding of current welfare issues.

  A grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund enabled the National Trust to repair and reinstate the building, and to engage the local community in its development. Their stories have shaped the interpretation of the property and are available to visitors as oral history recordings. Guided by local people's memories of the site, staff and volunteers have recreated a 1970s bedsit which was used to house the temporarily homeless. The Trust is working in partnership with local authorities and organisations such as Shelter and the Big Issue to use the site to explore the history of attitudes towards poverty both in the past and in contemporary society.

  The Workhouse opened on 13 March 2002, creating nine new jobs which are supported by a team of around 150 local volunteers. Visitor numbers have exceeded expectation reaching more than 53,000 by October 2002. In considering the impact of the property in the local area, the Trust took the decision not to develop a restaurant and shop on site. Visitors are encouraged to shop and eat at local businesses and spend more time in the surrounding area. A recent headline in the Southwell Advertiser "Workhouse lifts trade—BOOM TOWN" gives an indication of how this decision is making itself felt.

BRANCASTER MILLENNIUM CENTRE

  Millennium Commission funding allowed the National Trust to renovate the historic Dial House in Brancaster, Norfolk in a unique way, incorporating the latest renewable energy technology to supplement energy requirements of the Centre. Environmental sustainability is at the heart of everything that happens at the Centre, from the building materials used in its renovation to the latest renewable energy technology including solar panels, wind power and a heat exchange system that draws energy from the mud flats.

  Situated in the centre of the historic fishing village of Brancaster Staithe, the Brancaster Millennium Activity Centre provides residential accommodation for up to 44 people of all ages and ability, to study cutting-edge environmental practices, learn about the area's rich biodiversity and learn new skills and sports. Visitors can monitor the impact they have on the environment and gain first hand experience of what it takes to live in a more environmentally sustainable way.

  Up to 10 staff are employed at the centre, most of them local people, and they are supported by a number of local volunteers. There are facilities for long term volunteers to take residential courses for up to six months at the Centre, working alongside staff with expertise in areas such as renewable energy.

  The Millennium Centre is one of several buildings that have an important community focus in Brancaster. Staff work closely with the local community and partner organisations such as the RSPB to ensure that the Centre makes a positive contribution to the care of the surrounding Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the historic village of Brancaster Staithe.

January 2004