BirkenEd’s Place Closing Event
29th March 2023
Our community engagement hub BirkenEd’s Place closed last week for Purdah. We held an event yesterday evening (Tuesday 28th March) to celebrate all that has been achieved over the last four months of our pilot and to thank those who have supported us.
The event was attended by all who have supported in the space and who have contributed to its success – from Wirral Council officers to PLACED Ambassadors, and design team colleagues and community members who we’ve been very fortunate to collaborate with during our time at BirkenEd’s. We reflected together on all the engagements and events that have taken place and on its successes and achievements. It was lovely to see so many friendly, familiar faces in attendance. The event highlighted how BirkenEd’s Place has not only functioned as an engagement hub or dedicated space for public consultation, but also a much-valued community space – a space for conversation, for sharing ideas and projects and, most importantly, for community and being together in the heart of Birkenhead.
As we celebrated and reflected yesterday evening, we remembered just how much has been delivered. Our delivery in the space has included engagement for Birkenhead 2040 projects, presentation evenings, walking tours, primary school workshops, university visits and special events as well as collaborations with community organisations and projects like Options and Mencap, Big heritage, Tranmere Tunnels and Ron’s Place. Since we opened back in November, BirkenEd’s Place has had 2500 visitors. 98% of people have enjoyed their visit and 78% say the space makes them feel more part of their neighbourhood.
A big thank you to Cathy Palmer, Luke Bithell, and David Roberts, and to all their colleagues at Wirral Council for making BirkenEd’s Place possible. We also express our greatest appreciation to all who have volunteered and supported us in running BirkenEd’s Place over the last four months and to everyone who has taken part in our engagements, workshops or who has collaborated with us in the space.