Projects
Scroll down to see photo gallery
One of the 5 key aims of ARCH is to improve the quality of the local environment and open spaces for the benefit of all residents by facilitating projects that directly benefit the community of Canford Heath and its residents.
As an inclusive organisation, we use a variety of forms of communication to keep our residents up to date with what is happening in Canford Heath and also to advertise forthcoming events; not just on this website and social media, but also using print media.
You can see from the projects listed below, that they are all totally different. However, they are all relevant in their own way and embrace the ethos of ARCH.
We successfully applied for and received £15,000 of CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) funds to make improvements to Adastral Square which included installing new notice boards, more seating and raised flower bed, repainting the maze and hopscotch and installing refuse and recycling bins This project was completed during 2023 Click here to see the results.
Tap or Click a project link below for more details.
ARCH Community Notice Board unveiled
Photo shows Canford Heath Councillors Sean Gabriel, Sandra Moore and Jennie Hodges with the Poole Town Crier
Adastral Square gets a new Shade Garden
During the recent Community Gardening day organised by The Adastral Square Gardeners (ADSGAR), for the first time they were wearing new colourful volunteer tabards from Top to Toe Workwear.
The tabards as well as plants, soil and tools including a wheelbarrow were all donated by ARCH from CIL funds acquired for improvements to Adastral Square.
The new Shade Garden is located in a bed opposite the entrance to Iceland Supermarket in a bed that was previously just earthy. Plants were been specially chosen for their ability to grow in an area which does not get much sunlight. In addition, throughout the Open day in October 2020, many new plants and bulbs were planted throughout the various beds around the Square. They are all going to look great in the spring !
ARCH obtained CIL funding from Poole Council and is currently in the process of delivering on projects outlined in the funding agreement between both parties. This includes additional seating and artwork, repainting of the maze and hopscotch and the creation of a Community Vegetable patch.
After the initial planting session the project was visited by the Mayor of Poole, Marion Le Poidevin who congratulated the group on their sterling efforts.
If you would like to get involved with any of these projects, please contact us by email canfordheatharch@gmail.com
The new ARCH (Association of Residents of Canford Heath) community noticeboard was installed recently outside ASDA in Culliford Crescent. It took 2 years to raise the funds so it was with great pride that it was unveiled in the presence of the Town Crier David Squires with the ribbon being cut by Cllr Sandra Moore who is the longest serving Canford Heath councillor of over 20 years.
The board was chosen to fit in with the environment and is made from man‐made timber, meaning it should have a life span of about 25 years. In particular it is open in style to enable all residents to put notices relating to Canford Heath actives.
ARCH aims to improve communication for all heath residents and to this extent also have a website, Facebook and Twitter accounts plus weekly emails.
Sasha Morgan, Chair of ARCH said “Canford Heath has a lot going on with over 70 groups/ activities plus regular events so we wanted to enable people to find out about these in the best way that suits them whether its online or offline. The noticeboard project has been a long time in the planning and we are now continuing our fundraising efforts in order to replace the noticeboard in Adastral Square.”
The old noticeboard has been taken to its new home at Dexters Football club in Learoyd Road where it will be given a facelift and up‐cycled to be used as a new noticeboard for the popular Football club.
Press Release: Defibrillators installed thanks to Residents Association (October 2019)
ARCH (Association of Residents of Canford Heath), have made possible the installation of two new defibrillators, accessible 24/7 for the benefit and ease of use for the community; one at Magna Academy, off Adastral Road and the other on the outside of the Haymoor Pub at the Neighbourhood Centre. The locations were chosen due to the ease of access to the equipment should it be required in an emergency.
The installation follows the culmination of almost 2 years of research, work and fundraising by ARCH. A successful CIL (community infrastructure levy) bid application enabled the funds for the project and the chosen supplier was The Community Heartbeat Trust who support organisations seeking to provide public access defibrillators.
The defibrillators (also known as AEDs) are medical devices to be used on a patient in Cardiac Arrest. They analyse the heart’s electrical rhythm, and if necessary will apply an electrical shock which resets the heart’s own electrical system. Survival from Cardiac Arrest if untreated is about 3% of cases. However, with correct and rapid treatment, including the timely use of a defibrillator and good CPR (chest compressions) survival to hospital can, in theory, be raised to around 70%.
Malcolm Simpson, who is a local First Aid trainer and member of ARCH, has helped to oversee the project and makes weekly checks of the new defibrillators, updating the information on a national database to confirm that they are always ready for use in an emergency.
Malcolm said, ‘the need for these defibrillators became clear when we realised that, at the time, no others available locally 24/7. I am very pleased that these two new installations bring the total number of defibrillators available across the Heath to 7, 4 of which are available 24/7 which could significantly increase the chances of survival from cardiac arrest for local residents. Defibrillators are really easy to use.”
ARCH is planning to run Cardiac Arrest Awareness and Basic First Aid Training Sessions in various heath venues in Autumn to which everyone is welcome to attend. These will educate attendees how to help someone having a cardiac arrest and how to use a defibrillator with confidence. ‘You don’t have to be a fireman to use a fire extinguisher; you don’t have to be a paramedic to use a defibrillator.’
ARCH is also hoping to set up a Volunteer Emergency Telephone Scheme (VETS), where someone at the scene of a medical emergency can, after ensuring that the 999 call for an ambulance has been made, use a dedicated telephone number to contact a group of ‘good neighbours’ who are trained in first aid, and can attend and assist until the emergency services arrive. A third of 999 calls are from lone persons so this will enable those volunteers who live close by to the defibrillator to be on hand quickly, whether it’s for a cardiac arrest or not, and provide reassurance to the lone rescuer.
Claire Roberts, Manager of the Haymoor Pub said “It’s fantastic when members of the community come together and make great things happen – Sizzling Pubs were delighted to give permission to have one of the new defibrillators attached to our building”
Sasha Morgan, Chair of ARCH, commented, ‘this has been a great initiative and is another example of the many things members of ARCH undertake as active members of our local community in Canford Heath.”
ARCH member Nigel Leahy has produced a map showing where all the defibrillators are available on the Heath and the times that they are accessible. These posters are placed in key areas around the Heath.
Click here to download a PDF version of the Defibrillator map
If you are interested in attending one of the First Aid sessions, or would like to find out more about being a volunteer for VETS, please contact ARCH by email canfordheatharch@gmail.com
Defibrillator located outside Magna Academy
ARCH member Malcolm Simpson and Claire Roberts manager of the Haymoor Pub with the newly installed defibrillator.