Confidence Through Conservation

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About Community Environmental Trust

Location:

1 Whittle Croft, Castle Vale, Birmingham, B35 6DN, GB

Mission Statement

CET is an independent organisation that is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of urban green space.

CET is a "not for profit" trust with most of its income coming from funding bodies such as the Endowment Trust Fund, the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, European Social Fund and BeBirmingham.

CET is based Castle Vale however CET also carries out projects outside of Castle Vale when funding allows. Within Castle Vale CET works with residents, schools and community organisations to ensure that Castle Vale is a "Cleaner, Greener and safer place to live".

CET also seeks work as consultants for urban green space development and active use. CET is currently working with a Birmingham City University project that is seeking to find ways to establish the link between well-being and urban green space

Description

The Community Environmental Trust, initially called the Castle Vale Community Environmental Trust, started life during the regeneration process of Castle Vale and was detailed with the task of ensuring that the regeneration took into account the environment at all stages of the process.
The Trust was instrumental in the development of the Castle Vale Conservation Area, now called Farnborough Fields, the establishment of the Castle Vale Community Garden and the development of Birmingham’s first new park (at the time) in 50 years.
By 2005 the redevelopment process was drawing to a close and the Trust needed to realign itself in order to continue to benefit the community.
Since then the Trust has focused on the development of projects that not only benefit Castle Vale but can be run in other area of the City. The Trust was one of the first organisations to run the Forest Schools project, it has supported all four schools within Castle Vale in the EcoSchools project, the Trust was also instrumental in the Centre Park receiving Green Flag status and last year the Trust launched the Confidence Through Conservation project which has helped local young unemployed to develop work place skills.
The Trust is now an integral part of environmental movement in Birmingham, sitting on committees of groups such as Birmingham Trees For Life, Birmingham Open Spaces Forum and the newly re-formed Birmingham Nature Conservation Strategy Group.
The Trust has run Forest Schools in several Schools in the Erdington area and now has received funding to extend this to include schools in the Tyburn area utilising Plantsbrook Nature Reserve as the projects base.
The Trust is continuing to develop projects that will benefit communities outside of Castle Vale. So it is with this in mind that the Trust is seeking to develop the Plantsbrook Confidence Through Conservation project.