AN AREA of Bridgwater is being given an overhaul thanks to local residents.

People living in Parkway are helping to brighten the place up through the Sydenham Community Street Design Project and Sustrans, Together Team, funded by People’s Health Trust and Sedgemoor District Council.

People’s Health Trust has invested £114,000 in the project using money raised by HealthFull through The Health Lottery, with Sedgemoor District Council providing £84,000 match funding.

Firstly, a bright noticeboard has been put outside Sydenham Community Centre, designed by Bridgwater College Academy’s ash class.

The noticeboard now provides an opportunity to inform the community about the range of activities happening in the area.

The grey bollards outside Parkway shops have also been livened up with red, green, blue and purple paint. These changes are just the first part of the project with more improvements planned for the coming months.

The next step is to get people together to have their say on the new proposals, with the aim to set up a community group to help decide what improvements the project works on.

Alan Muir, project co-ordinator for Sustrans in Sydenham, said: "The project offers an exciting opportunity for people to change local places for the better through physical improvements as well as community led activities that help bring people together.”

David Jones, director of Grant Programmes at People’s Health Trust, said: "It’s great that local people are getting so involved in making changes to their neighbourhood.

"People’s Health Trust believes that residents taking local action together can have significant benefits to the health and wellbeing within a neighbourhood.

"This project in Sydenham will support the increasing empowerment of local people to address wider issues in their communities and neighbourhoods through collective action."

Kristy Blackwell, Together Team coordinator, said: "We’re really impressed with these great new additions to Sydenham.

"The bright community noticeboard will help to keep everybody up to date with events and Sydenham Community Centre activities with the bollards generally adding a splash of colour and fun.

"We encourage everyone to go along on May 20 and get involved in the next stage of the street design project."

If you live in Sydenham, Bower or Dunwear, there is an opportunity to get involved with the project at Sydenham Community Centre on Friday May 20 at 6:30pm.