About UsWe are a charitable organisation incorporating Turls Hill Swanbrook Valley Residents' Association in order to preserve and enhance the Black Country landscape of the Borough of Dudley, West Midlands.
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Our Details
UK Registered No: 6310800 Registered UK Charity No: 1120126 Entrust Project No's: 647058. & 148702.036 Click here to download our gift aid form |
Our Background
Turls Hill & Swanbrook Valley Residents' Association was formed in 2001 and is supported by over 600 families in the neighbourhood. In 2007 an elected committee of 10 members formed Woodsetton Charitable Trust which now consist of six trustees and eight committee members .
Mission Statement
Our aim is to preserve and enhance this outstanding example of pre-industrial Black Country landscape which still survives within the Borough of Dudley. A plan to prevent this historic green area from being swallowed up by the surrounding urban developments, and for its present 18th century rural aspect to be retained and enhanced, for the enjoyment and recreation of the local community, and aslo for the benefit of the indigenous wildlife.
A medieval highway, now a bridleway and footpath, rural field and hedge patterns that have not changed for several hundred years, a woodland area, and many tree and hedgerow species, two meandering streams and two pools that abound with birds and wildlife, an overgrown limestone quarry of historic and geological interest, many meadows with grazing Horses. A network off-road byways and footpaths, which could be developed to provide useful links for every-day local journeys.
A medieval highway, now a bridleway and footpath, rural field and hedge patterns that have not changed for several hundred years, a woodland area, and many tree and hedgerow species, two meandering streams and two pools that abound with birds and wildlife, an overgrown limestone quarry of historic and geological interest, many meadows with grazing Horses. A network off-road byways and footpaths, which could be developed to provide useful links for every-day local journeys.
Our Proposals
- Conservation and enhancement
- Community awareness
- Health and well-being
- Community safety and security
- Sustainable use of the environment
- Benefits for the community
Consultation Report
What We've Done
January 2021 update
The Abraham Darby project was initiated by Councillors Keiran CASEY and Adam Aston. Councillor CASEY recruited a number of companies and organisations to donate component parts to create a memorial to Abraham Darby. Woodsetton Charitable Trust applied for a grant of £23,000 to complete the assembly of the project. Steve Field the borough artist designed and project managed the memorial. The project's progress is being filmed which will be made available later in the year. The total cost of the project is approximately £65,000.
A roll of honour naming all those that left the Woodsetton area for the First and Second World War has been discovered in the community which is being renovated at the moment and will be eventually displayed on the site of the war memorial.
The funding grants raised by Woodsetton Charitable Trust amounts now to approximately £353,000 (as of January 2021).
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As of October 2018, the association had:
1) Held 14 public meetings, with an average attendance of 90 residents, addressed by prominent speakers including the Leader of Dudley Council, Officers, Councillors, Consultants, a local historian, the local MP and trustees of the Trust.
2) Sent out regular Newsletters to keep residents notified of current progress, including participation events.
3) Obtained grants from various sources amounting to over £320,000.
4) Commissioned and obtained a Management Plan for the area, which was used by the Council to obtain Green Belt Status for Turls Hill, and to help to overturn a Planning Appeal on a local Greenfield site. Developed a five year rolling plan for improvements.
5) Produced a short video of the area to demonstrate the aims and vision of the association, and to support its fund raising efforts.
6) Provided speakers and representatives at local community and Council sponsored meetings.
7) Supported Dudley MBC at two Planning Appeal hearings, with documentation and live evidence from residents’ representative; the Vice Chairman Mr Bate, which contributed to the dismissal of one of the Appeals.
8) Entered into the Dudley 2004 Community Pride Competition, at which the Association received a commendation for their work to date.
9) Won an award from Dudley MBC for best website and four other awards. On two occasions the trust has been awarded runners-up status by the mayor of Dudley.
10) Restored the historical Turls Hill Lane including surfacing, drainage and coppicing of hedge rows. Funded by Cory Enviromental Trust in Britain, Dudley MBC and Ipstock Cory Enviromental Trust. (Completed)
11) Construction of vandal resistant gates at Turls Hill Lane and Swanbrook Valley to secure the area from unauthorised vehicle access
12) Planted 420 trees on the 20th and 26th March 2011 in Swanbrook Valley a further 500 in 2012 and 2013, and 120 in 2018.
13) Obtained funding grants to construct a footpath from Tipton Road linking to Parks Hall Pool, Rosemary Crescent, High Arcal School and Eve Lane. Creating a network of footpaths in the valley.
14) Secured funding grant £35,000 for re-siting and research of the Woodsetton War Memorial, which is the memorial for the people of Swan Village, Woodsetton and Parkes Hall who fought in World War 1. In 1922 the cenotaph was located in the centre of the small village or large hamlet known as Swan Village, surrounded immediately by open cast mine workings to the north and west, shallow workings to the south and east and the lane running through connecting the village to the surrounding villages.
Total grants obtained to date (May 2018) is approximately £300,000 including some project management fees. All has been spent or committed.
Association activities have created considerable awareness within the community, the local authority, and most landowners, of the opportunities available to protect and enhance the remaining landscape features, for the benefit of everyone, including the future generations.
The Abraham Darby project was initiated by Councillors Keiran CASEY and Adam Aston. Councillor CASEY recruited a number of companies and organisations to donate component parts to create a memorial to Abraham Darby. Woodsetton Charitable Trust applied for a grant of £23,000 to complete the assembly of the project. Steve Field the borough artist designed and project managed the memorial. The project's progress is being filmed which will be made available later in the year. The total cost of the project is approximately £65,000.
A roll of honour naming all those that left the Woodsetton area for the First and Second World War has been discovered in the community which is being renovated at the moment and will be eventually displayed on the site of the war memorial.
The funding grants raised by Woodsetton Charitable Trust amounts now to approximately £353,000 (as of January 2021).
----------
As of October 2018, the association had:
1) Held 14 public meetings, with an average attendance of 90 residents, addressed by prominent speakers including the Leader of Dudley Council, Officers, Councillors, Consultants, a local historian, the local MP and trustees of the Trust.
2) Sent out regular Newsletters to keep residents notified of current progress, including participation events.
3) Obtained grants from various sources amounting to over £320,000.
4) Commissioned and obtained a Management Plan for the area, which was used by the Council to obtain Green Belt Status for Turls Hill, and to help to overturn a Planning Appeal on a local Greenfield site. Developed a five year rolling plan for improvements.
5) Produced a short video of the area to demonstrate the aims and vision of the association, and to support its fund raising efforts.
6) Provided speakers and representatives at local community and Council sponsored meetings.
7) Supported Dudley MBC at two Planning Appeal hearings, with documentation and live evidence from residents’ representative; the Vice Chairman Mr Bate, which contributed to the dismissal of one of the Appeals.
8) Entered into the Dudley 2004 Community Pride Competition, at which the Association received a commendation for their work to date.
9) Won an award from Dudley MBC for best website and four other awards. On two occasions the trust has been awarded runners-up status by the mayor of Dudley.
10) Restored the historical Turls Hill Lane including surfacing, drainage and coppicing of hedge rows. Funded by Cory Enviromental Trust in Britain, Dudley MBC and Ipstock Cory Enviromental Trust. (Completed)
11) Construction of vandal resistant gates at Turls Hill Lane and Swanbrook Valley to secure the area from unauthorised vehicle access
12) Planted 420 trees on the 20th and 26th March 2011 in Swanbrook Valley a further 500 in 2012 and 2013, and 120 in 2018.
13) Obtained funding grants to construct a footpath from Tipton Road linking to Parks Hall Pool, Rosemary Crescent, High Arcal School and Eve Lane. Creating a network of footpaths in the valley.
14) Secured funding grant £35,000 for re-siting and research of the Woodsetton War Memorial, which is the memorial for the people of Swan Village, Woodsetton and Parkes Hall who fought in World War 1. In 1922 the cenotaph was located in the centre of the small village or large hamlet known as Swan Village, surrounded immediately by open cast mine workings to the north and west, shallow workings to the south and east and the lane running through connecting the village to the surrounding villages.
Total grants obtained to date (May 2018) is approximately £300,000 including some project management fees. All has been spent or committed.
Association activities have created considerable awareness within the community, the local authority, and most landowners, of the opportunities available to protect and enhance the remaining landscape features, for the benefit of everyone, including the future generations.
