News and Events

We are now in the final year of Hertfordshire's two year Take Part Programme with many exciting things to come.  We have a strong group of participants in both Cowley Hill and Stevenage getting involved with the opportunities being offered, however we're still looking for new and enthusiastic participants!

If you're someone from Cowley Hill (Borehamwood, Hertsmere) or Stevenage who wants to influence decisions that affect your local community then get in touch with your local Take Part project worker and ask about how you can get involved.  You could be enrolled onto Take Part and receive your membership card within a week opening up the many opportunities available to help you become a much more active citizen.

 Take Part Trip to the European Parliament

After last year’s trip to the Houses of Parliament “Kaleidoscope Culture Club” led by the WHEM Group and supported  by MENTER (East of England Ethnic Minority Network) have decided to organize  another trip, this time to the European Parliament.

We have already contacted MEP offices in Brussels and had some quite positive responses.

The trip will take place on the 5^th and 6^th of September. We will be travelling on the 5^th in the morning from Hatfield, visiting Bruges on our way to Brussels.  On the 6^th of September, we will spend a few hours in the Parliament building, meet some of the European MEPs representing the Eastern Region and have a chance to ask questions. We are planning to visit the East of England European Partnership Office. (All those things are still to be confirmed).  The exact itinerary is still to be confirmed.

 The trip will cost around £100 and it will include travel, one night accommodation (B & B) etc.

 The trip is going to be a superb experience for our (many) community groups and their  leaders.

It will also have a huge impact on:

a) building cross cultural dialogue,

b) increasing awareness of their EU, its history, legislation, functions

c) helping to build capacity of individuals and groups.

d)  It will be great

The meeting for all interested will take place in:

Briars Pavilion

Briars Lane, Hatfield, AL10 8EY

Tuesday, 1^st March 2011 at 7.30 p.m. 

 For more information contact: WHEM Group’s administrator Kumiko Yokouchi:  whemgroup6@yahoo.co.uk or Michal Siewniak: michal@menter.org.uk

 Take Part Participants Visit County Hall

Some participants reflected on the day:

"People want to get to know other people, build confidence, know more about what’s going on around them, make local friendships"

"Gives people the opportunity to do something they feel they are not allowed to do"

"It gives people who don’t have a voice a platform"

"TP has sown the seeds, now we just have to wait for the buds to come up and flourish"

"There’s a coming together, we are not on our own"

Be A Councillor

There are as many reasons for becoming a councillor as there are councillors, but very often there is a common driving factor - the desire to be of service to a local community and to improve the lives of the people you live with. Often people become interested because of a specific issue or local factor that they want to champion. People have become councillors because of a local planning issue, or because they want to provide more support to their charity or cause, or because of a specific local policy they want to influence. Many councillors get started because they want to generally improve the lives of people in their community, or to give something back to their own community.  Does this sound like you?  Visit the Be A Councillor website to find out more.

Take Part reaches Parliament!

You can also follow more focused news and events in Cowley Hill or Stevenage.