MCT is very proud to have sponsored and presented an award at Innovista’s Thrive Barton 2013 Young Achiever’s dinner. Chloe, an inspirational 13 year old picked up the Community Contribution award sponsored by Monument Community Trust for her dedicated volunteering supporting other young people in Barton.

After a warm welcome greeted invited guests, a range of refreshing home-made drinks was provided by a well-organised group of hard-working young people involved with Thrive Barton, who then prepared and served a wholesome three course meal to around 120 attendees.

Thrive Barton is committed to having a long term positive presence to the estate, a council housing estate located immediately outside the ring road to the East of Oxford. The index of Multiple Deprivation ranks Barton in the bottom 13% of deprived areas in England and Wales. The most significant issue according to research is education, skills and training, with Barton in the top 10% most deprived areas in England. 65% of working adults have no or low qualification compared with the Oxford average of 18.6%. The estate is surprisingly green but although it’s not dominated by depressing high-rise tower blocks, the social issues are similar to any council estate; unemployment, low educational attainment, broken families, high alcohol and substance abuse and crime. The deprivation here is generational and there are no quick fix solutions.

Although there is much joined up work happening in the estate, there is a feeling from community workers that help is not reaching those who need it most. www.thriveteam.wordpress.com

Grant – one of our Trustees introduces the award on behalf of Monument Community Trust to Chloe, who doing her volunteering that won her the Community Contribution Award – ow.ly/ppYRZ