EDEN Futures, the Community Strategy for Eden, was launched in the Conference Centre at the University of Central Lancashire, Newton Rigg Campus, Penrith, writes Karen Morley.

To celebrate the strategy a competition inviting groups to submit their artistic vision for Eden was held.

There was a diverse range of entries and the judges - Coun Allan Bewley chairman of Eden District Council; local author Jackie Moffat; and Irene Faith, chief executive of Eden Arts -selected three winners:

Best Junior entry (£200): Kirkby Thore Parent and Toddlers group.

Best Community entry (£200): Eden Carers.

Highly Commended entry (£100): Eden MENCAP.

The winners were all thrilled with their prizes, which they said they will spend in the following ways:

Kirkby Thore Parent and Toddlers group: keeping the group afloat and helping to fund the proposed village play park.

Eden Carers: a trip for carers to give them a break from their caring role.

Eden MENCAP: a trip to an arts venue.

Rita Williamson, of Kirkby Thore Parent and Toddlers group, commented when collecting their prize: "This money will keep us going until next summer."

Jackie Moffat said: "The judges were most impressed by the high standard of thoughtfully crafted and imaginatively presented entries.

"Kirkby Thore Tiny Tots group won the junior class with a colourful montage with a well-integrated message of inclusivity and co-operation for the future, while Eden Carers took the Community Group Award with a strong audio-visual presentation. The judges felt that Eden Carers' dream' - that of a tolerant and compassionate society for all - summed up the spirit and aspirations of Eden Futures perfectly."

Professor Norman Burrow formally launched the Eden Futures strategy and commented that he was glad that the Newton Rigg venue had been chosen to launch the strategy as the university felt that it was very much part of the local community. Professor Burrow has been involved at earlier stages of the project including chairing a conference in July last year when the eight themes in the strategy were decided.

Ian Bruce, chief executive of Eden District Council, gave a summary of the strategy and said: "The important thing for Eden Futures is that it is not just about the statutory council work being done in Eden but also that it represents all the work of the many community and voluntary organisations who are represented here at the launch."

Following the launch, a meeting of the Carlisle and Eden Local Strategic Partnership was held which discussed how the community strategies for the two areas will be developed jointly.

January 8, 2003 09:00