Arnold Circus revamp

Arnold Circus was one of the United Kingdom's very first social housing estates. Now around 97% of the local Virginia Primary School pupils are of Bengali origin. Local people held a very negative view of Arnold Circus. They perceived it as a dark, hostile place which was inhabited by gangs. In 2006 a local community-generated charity intervened. Their objective was to rehabilitate the gardens and bandstand of Arnold Circus The charity raised sufficient funds to commission artists to work with local children. Together they implemented projects to revamp Arnold Circus. During four years they designed, photographed, drew, planted trees and flowers. Active involvement and participation in the project were key to the overall success. As a result of the revamp, the local population's perception has changed dramatically. This was proved by comparative attitude surveys carried out before and one year after the project finished. Residents now use this area for social activities and celebrations. The children feel emotionally attached and continue to plant flower seeds twice a year. This proves that active participation by local residents in such a project is critical to building social cohesion.