Putting the spirit back into depressed neighbourhoods is the task facing Claire Fitton.

She is spearheading the new Human Neighbourhood Project which aims to revitalise inner city communities.

Bradford is one of three cities chosen to pilot the project, with Government funding.

Claire, based at the Bradford CVS offices in Sunbridge Road, is busy making links with local people in the three areas covered by the scheme: Great Horton, Lower Grange and Allerton, and Wapping/North Wing (Otley Road).

"This project is very much about neighbourhood revitalisation, rather than regeneration - it's about people and getting people's spirit back," she said.

It was set up by the Birmingham-based Human Cities Institute, a movement that aims to make cities more 'human' and better places to live.

Claire will be working with local people and encouraging them to get together to share ideas.

The Bradford projects are also linked via the Internet to 'sister' schemes in inner city Chicago and Johannesburg.

All kinds of ideas have been put forward by local people, and are underway.

A new support group, Mums and Tums, has been set up for mums and pregnant teenage women in Lower Grange; a campaign for an affordable bus service through the estate has started; and talks begun to break down barriers between young and old on the estate.

Wapping First School and St Augustine's School, due to merge under the schools' shake-up, have started a buddy scheme with youngsters writing to penpals at the other school.

And in Great Horton, where residents are regenerating the Black Mountain area as a Millennium Green, there are plans to run reminiscence sessions and record people's memories to inspire ideas to build into the green.

Meanwhile, the Human Neighbourhood Project is running a one-day conference, open to all, on April 15. Called Revitalising Your Community. It will take place at Great Horton Village Hall in Beldon Road. Further details are available from Claire on (01274) 722772 or on the web at www.humancity.org

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