Creating neighbourhoods for the future through community regeneration.

Based in Merseyside SAFE Regeneration Ltd (SAFE) are on the cusp of delivering Liverpool City Regions most innovative community regeneration developments. Aptly named Destination Bootle the £33 million-pound community-led capital development is designed to meet the physical, environmental and human needs of the Bootle area.

Like other areas of deprivation Bootle has complex social problems resulting from worklessness, a declining population and poverty. Safe Regeneration already work hand in hand with the local community to address some of the challenges they face and Destination Bootle has been developed to provide long-term solutions to these challenges through regeneration.

Who Are SAFE?

SAFE started life as a small creative arts collective in the late 1990s winning commissions from hospitals, schools, charities, public services and private contractors to engage communities in the co-production of public artworks.

In 2007 SAFE took up residence in a disused school in Bootle achieving rapid and sustained growth, firmly establishing SAFE as a key Community and Enterprise Hub in the South Sefton community. A high percentage of people who receive support from SAFE are vulnerable; experiencing learning difficulties, mental health issues, addiction or low educational attainment.

Services offered from the Community and Enterprise Hub include; volunteering, skills for employment, training opportunities and business start-up advice for small businesses, social enterprises and creative and social organisations across the region. Housing over 13 social enterprises and operating an inclusive open-door policy, everyone who attends Safe is welcomed and supported in enhancing their life opportunities through meaningful activities.

Many social enterprises set up with SAFE’s support are run by people who have experienced some form of disadvantage. Against the odds, not only have all have gone on to be successful but they in turn support others within the community multiplying the social impact.

SAFEs support is on-going and the Community and Enterprise Hub acts as a conduit between this ‘family’ of social organisations and major anchor institutions such as Sefton Borough Council, Local Public Health, NHS trusts, Colleges, Universities, Housing Associations and regeneration bodies.

SAFE is held up as best practice across the globe collaborating transnationally with partners on social action projects, sharing ideas, best practice, finding common ground and inspiring others to not only do more but do better.

What Is Destination Bootle?

Destination Bootle is SAFE’s £33 million-pound community-led capital regeneration project.

The project is unique and paints a fantastic vision for the development which sits alongside a beautiful canal and is a stones throw from Docklands which will also see major regeneration over coming years.

Community-led housing includes a mix of affordable homes for families, shared ownership and extra-care accommodation. SAFE will provide a range of creative activities and services for the new neighbourhood and the scheme includes plans for both ground source heating/Solar PV system, meeting an estimated 99% of the site’s energy requirements along with a 15-20% reduction of energy bills for residents. The development will also boast new work units, leisure facilities, a canal-side eatery, guest accommodation, boat moorings & water-based heritage tours of the canal – it is a true jewel in the crown of Liverpool City Region.

In preparation for Destination Bootle SAFE established Construction Impact Framework (CIF).

CIF is a socially driven construction framework that invests profits into community intervention and support services delivered by the Voluntary, Charitable and Social Enterprise sector (VCSE).

The team behind CIF have a combined 60 years experience delivering frontline public-sector services across some of the most deprived areas in the country, Sara Lawton, Director of CIF said, “Our unique understanding of poverty and its affects on communities sets us apart from any other framework on the market; we not only help to sustain the VSCE sector but we are helping to relieve the pressure on frontline public-sector resources”.

CIF’s social procurement model has produced social impact stories in a way that has never been seen before – placing people at the heart of regeneration, creating thriving, connected communities.

Brian Dawe the CEO of SAFE said, ‘Everything we have achieved, we have done working in partnership. We believe that everyone deserves to live in a happy, healthy neighbourhood –we are excited to be part of a passionate community that is helping us to shape and create a nieghbourhood for the future.”