Community Unboxed
Community Unboxed celebrates the power of people coming together. Each episode is packed with stories, laughter and insights from our Community Connectors and the residents and groups they meet across our Norwich neighbourhoods: Mile Cross, North Earlham and Mancroft.
Join Saskia, Chloe, Rainy, Sonya, Claire and Ally as they drop in on local activities, chat with residents and uncover the special keepsakes people would place in our imaginary shoebox – personal treasures that represent connection, resilience and what really matters in their communities.
We’ll be releasing five episodes in total: two from Norwich City Centre, one from Mile Cross and two from North Earlham. Keep an eye (and ear!) out as we share them over the coming weeks.
Brought to you by The Shoebox Enterprises CIC - a social enterprise empowering people to connect with their communities and lead fulfilling lives in Norfolk.
Community Unboxed
S1 EP3: How Green Hearts are Transforming Mile Cross
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In this episode, Mile Cross Connectors Ally and Claire share what it’s like to support and connect people in one of Norwich’s most misunderstood areas.
They talk about grassroots initiatives like the Green Hearts gardening group and MX Care Free for young carers, as well as the often-overlooked assets that keep the neighbourhood going - from community centres and churches to small volunteer-led projects.
Through residents’ stories, we see why Mile Cross is more connected than many assume - and why people who leave often find themselves drawn back.
Ready to see Mile Cross through fresh eyes? Listen in and let us know what you think.
Hear more about the insights gathered in our neighbourhoods by visiting www.communityconversations.info
There's something for everyone at The Shoebox, get in touch today to see what's on offer. Head to www.theshoebox.org.uk and get involved.
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The Community Connector project was delivered by The Shoebox Enterprises CIC and supported by Norwich City Council, with funding from the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund, and Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board's Community Voices programme.
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Welcome to Marlcross
Speaker 1You're listening to Community Unboxed , the podcast showcasing the best of people . This episode we're in Milecross .
Speaker 2I think people look after people .
Speaker 3Just , we're all connected and I've always loved it , yeah , so to me it's just like one big family . Might not always get on , but still family , yeah . Hi , hi , I'm Ali and I'm Claire and we're your Marcross Community Connectors . And this is Community Unboxed . It's so fun .
Speaker 2I think Ali's really good at the job because she's been in the community for years . She knows her people . She's really good at chatting to people , finding out what they need .
Speaker 3I think the same about you , although you say you're not a people person you are a people person . You're very approachable and I think you're very goodable . And , yeah , I think you're very good at putting people at ease and also finding out . You know you're very curious nosy I was trying to be polite .
Speaker 3I think of Marlcross as one big family . Yeah , I was born and bred in Marlcross as one big family . Yeah , I've lived in Marlcross . I was born and bred in Marlcross , so I've lived there all my life and I've always loved it . And I get quite defensive when people slate it especially . It's quite often people that don't live in the area , which annoys me more . I often see you like keyboard warrior .
Speaker 2Yeah , comment on Facebook when people diss the NR3 or Mark Ross , don't you come after my Mark .
Speaker 3Ross but yeah , since becoming a community connector and getting more involved in the community and meeting people I probably never would have met if I hadn't have done this job , it's just made it more apparent that there is so much crossover . You know , with the Phoenixoenix center we have um choi kwon do group , their self-defense group , which is kids and adults . My son does it , um as well , but there's also other children from marcos primary school that do it and then a parent from of one of those kids also runs the brownies group in malcross and um there might be another one that's on the green hearts group and it's there's just we're all connected and it's once you get out there , yeah once you get out there and you start talking to people that it's not that , until you do that , that you realize how many connections there are and how many people know each other , and yeah , so to me it's just like one big family .
Speaker 3Yeah , might not always get on , but still family .
Speaker 2Yeah , people open up to us like , um , we've done like a year's worth of groundwork , like getting to know people , building up relationships with them . Now people will come and tell us like little problems , and if we can sign , post them to other areas , other organisations , things like that don't they .
Speaker 3Yeah yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2We've been working with the Green Hots gardening groups and with Norfolk Wildlife Trust and , yeah , just , I've learnt so much .
Speaker 3But also being involved in the groups , meeting people that , like you said , we would never have met before , no , and personally it's created opportunities for myself that , again , I probably wouldn't have had had I not taken this job on . So the Green Hearts one of their projects is Hedgehog Alley , which was called something different before that Dogshit Alley , because it was a bit of a dump , yeah , but there was a telecom box situated along there which we got permission to paint and they asked me to paint it , which I did . Put a nice big hedgehog on there , so it was re-nicknamed Hedgehog Alley . Put a nice big hedgehog on there , so it was re-nicknamed Hedgehog Alley . And then from that we had someone from Sustrans contact us asking if we'd like to paint one of their milepost markers in the city .
Speaker 3So myself and another volunteer from the Phoenix Centre went and painted this milepost marker which is on King Street , which was brilliant . It was so much fun and we got to experience another part of the community within Norwich . So King Street has its own amazing little community which I knew nothing about and , yeah , it was just really lovely and you get such amazing feedback . Everyone was just so friendly and so positive and you know , for all the graffiti and stuff , I mean some of it's's lovely , some of it isn't as nice , but they seemed quite pleased to see something that you know , you pass every day and don't even notice turned into something bright and beautiful yeah .
Speaker 3I think you're always going to get some people that just that say there's no community , even when there is , just because they just don't want to know , they don't want to be part of the community .
Speaker 5They just don't want to be part of it .
Speaker 3No matter how much you can convince them , they just don't want to be part of it . They don't want to see it or they can't see it . But for those of them that are willing to give it a chance , I think once they get sucked in , yeah they don't want to leave .
Speaker 2Yeah , you see their personalities change , like from the first week to the second , third , fourth , different , Like you see them blossom kind of things .
Speaker 3Yeah , yeah , yeah . What's the hardest part of the job ? Claire ?
Speaker 2Um , I think ,
Community Connections & Local Groups
Speaker 2like when you've done signposting the admin , literally that's the bane of my life . But other than that , like you've helped someone , and they come back to you and they're like , oh , I didn't get anywhere with that . You know how do you deal with that Disappointment ? I've often cried in the shower Because , yeah , we've had some tough things to do , haven't we ?
Speaker 3I think some people just want someone to listen to them , want their voices heard , and once you start talking , you never really know how the conversation is going to go and some people do open up more than others and end up telling you all sorts of things . Some people can't shut up .
Speaker 2Like us .
Speaker 3We had the bowel cancer screening conversations . That was a tough period . That was hard .
Speaker 2I've had a few . I know I've personally had a few conversations . People have broken down . I've had a few . I know I've personally had a few conversations .
Speaker 3People have broken down , you know .
Speaker 2They're the hard aspects , I think . So . One lady she said I think it was her son had symptoms of bowel cancer . He's very young and then he died . When they went and done all these checks just before he passed away , they found that he actually had the bowel cancer . Yeah , yeah , but those sort of things you have to take home with you . You know that's the hardest bit .
Speaker 3I think , yeah , I think one of mine was someone had told me that they'd tried to commit suicide and it was really tough because I know the person's outside of the job anyway and there's just a lot of mental health people suffering from mental health out there and we're not trained . We're not trained in any way , we're not counsellors , we're not therapists , we're not trained in any way . You know , we're not counsellors , we're not therapists , but we can be there to listen , yeah , but it does get frustrating sometimes because we have our own mental health issues too . So you know we can point them in the right direction , we can say what help there is out there , but you know there's just not enough of it is there .
Speaker 2No , you know , there's just not enough of it , is there ? No , no , so we are talking about our shoebox item , something we've brought in to talk as a conversation opener In our imaginary shoebox .
Speaker 3In our imaginary shoebox Although I don't think mine would fit in a shoebox , I might have to wedge it in my item is a lovely plate that we made at the Jubilee celebrations with the Phoenix Centre and the Common lot and kathleen's church yeah , um .
Speaker 3So yeah , one of the activities we did with the families was to um , paint up these plates , and mine has got my children's names , so scarlet and reuben , and , of course , mom in there , and it's got our hand prints , um , and at the bottom it says family 2022 , and so people were able to make these and take them home with them . And you made one as well , I did , and yours is where In the shoe box , so there's a little bit of Marlcross left behind , a little bit of art . So what's your item , claire ? So I've brought some .
Speaker 2Cadbury's Mini Cream Eggs . They are my favourite . How do you eat yours ? I'm Claire , so I've brought some Cadbury's mini cream eggs . Oh , they are my favourite . How do you eat yours ? Bite the top off and scoop out the insides .
Speaker 6Yeah oh .
Speaker 3I love them .
Speaker 2I just love they changed the inside , didn't they ? A couple of years ago .
Speaker 3To be honest , you know me , I'm not really a massive chocolate eater . I haven't had Cadbury's cream eggs for years . You don't know what .
Speaker 2But yeah , they changed the insides , but now I've got used to it . So yeah , everything's good again .
Speaker 3I've lived in Marlcross most of my life , apart from a few years where I went to uni and then moved to Clifton Street , old Palace Roadway . But I thought I kind of knew a lot about the area and I suppose I do but I had no idea how much stuff happens in the area until I became a connector . So even though I volunteer at the Phoenix Centre and obviously I know a lot of stuff that happens there , I didn't know about all the things that happen at St Catherine's Church , at the King's Venue , at the Norman Centre or within walking distance of where you live where you work .
Speaker 3you know , you know . I think it'd be hard to find another community that Does so much for the community literally , and I think the MXPEG has been a huge part of kind of bringing that all together .
Speaker 4Yeah .
Speaker 3And it's such a invaluable place to sort of again , signpost and connect and network and find out about , you know , things that are going on , maybe slightly in a slightly wider area .
Speaker 2Yeah but um , even find out things in that , like you said , so much goes on there . Yeah , it's a good idea to have meetings every six weeks to network , find out what's going on .
Speaker 3You know , yeah , and I think it inspires people as well to see when you know , like the , the litter busters , yeah , that all came about because of stacy bradley coming into the area and doing litter picks community litter picks , yeah , and I know myself , I've done quite a few of them . There was a couple of others that have done quite a few of them and one of the residents in particular , really you could tell she was .
Speaker 3It's something she's really passionate about yeah , and when Stacey's group kind of came to an end , we were sort of like , oh you know what's going to happen now . But luckily this resident sort of stepped over and yeah , and I think it's going to be slow to start , because new groups always are . But I think once word gets out , I think it's going to become a really good thing . And I think it's really really good getting the school involved , getting the kids involved because that's where it starts .
Speaker 3That's where they learn to respect , teach the kids , get them to pick their rubbish up , put it in their pocket and pop it in a bin when they pass by ?
Speaker 2So what schools did that go out to the Little Pick in their pocket and pop it in a ?
Speaker 3bin when they pass by . So what schools did that go out to the Little Pick ? I think they mainly work with Marlcross Primary Right , but I think it's open to anyone yeah , anyone that wants to come and help out .
Speaker 1I mean it helps the planet , doesn't it ?
Speaker 3It helps Marlcross , it helps everywhere . Ok , so another favourite moment of mine is I can't even remember how I came across it , I think it was just on Facebook or something but I saw a post for the Make a Difference Awards with BBC Radio Norfolk and just out of curiosity , I guess , I sort of had a little look about what the categories were and I saw there was a green category
Challenges of Being Connectors
Speaker 3and I just immediately thought , oh my god , the Green Hearts would be perfect for that . So I nominated them and then they became finalists . So there was , I think , four . In the end was there four finalists ?
Speaker 3yeah yeah yeah and obviously the Green Hearts were one of them and we got invited to the big fancy shindig at Thursford and fortunately I was on holiday at the time so I missed it all .
Speaker 2But I did go and it was a good good night . The food was delicious , the rides inside , yeah , yeah , and you've got a lovely little Glass plaque .
Speaker 3Yes , yeah , a little ornament thing which done a little trail , a little visit to each community garden in the area , and I think it really I don't know , it felt like it was just a recognition of what we've done , yeah .
Speaker 4You know it was really nice .
Speaker 3It was a really nice thing . Unfortunately , we didn't win , but still Going back to who won it .
Speaker 2We were , it was the Green Hearts . So the Green Hearts ? Let's explain what the Green Hearts is .
Speaker 3Oh , yes , so the Green Hearts is a subgroup of the MXPEG , mxpeg being Marlcross Projects and Events Group . Yep , the Green Hearts is a combination of people who come together to improve local green spaces in Marlcross . Yeah , so I can't remember how many people are even part of it now . Over a hundred , yeah , well , over a hundred . But there's Burgess Road Community Garden , there's Bacton Road Community Orchard , there's the phoenix center grounds , there's leaf growing matters at leafway road , a little area at silver birch court and civic gardens . There's lots of little spots that you may not have even known about . You know , you may pass by every day and not even realize it's there , but trust me , a lot of work has been put in . Yeah , to those areas to improve it , to bring people together , to bring more wildlife and grow produce to help feed people . Yeah , so , yeah , it's just really snowballed , hasn't ?
Speaker 2it the green hearts .
Speaker 3You know from from starting , just a tiny few of us yeah , to um all these multiple projects and bringing more people in , and yeah , the things , the events that we've had there , the harvest festival that we've done , that was brilliant , you know trying all those different foods . And yeah , we've had there the Harvest Festival that we've done , that was brilliant , you know , trying all these different foods . Yeah , we've done wassailing at Bacton Road . Yeah , although I miss the singing .
Speaker 2We've done so many things at different little gardens . We've had a herb afternoon , haven't we ?
Speaker 3Yeah , and the pallet planters with . Kieran , yeah , you know , they proved really popular , didn't they ? But yeah , it's been a really good project and I hope that it continues and it builds and I can't wait to see what the Burgess Road .
Speaker 2Community Garden is going to look like when it's finished . It's going to be amazing . They're going to have a resin pathway .
Speaker 3Yeah , I think a really big community day there to get everyone out and show everyone what we've done . I think it'll be brilliant . Can't wait . On out and show everyone what we've done . Yeah , I think it'll be brilliant , can't wait .
Speaker 2Yeah , there's so many things that go on around Marlcross .
Speaker 3Yeah , loads of events . Yeah , big ones and little ones , but I mean St Catherine's . They do normally have a summer fair , don't they ? Yeah , so I'm sure that'll be happening at some point soon .
Speaker 2Yeah , we have the Marcross Festival . That's back this year it is indeed . We've had the Galley Hill Dash .
Speaker 3Yeah , that was . I want to say it was bigger than that . I think it was bigger than the last one , because the first one was in 2021 . Probably should explain a little bit about what it is . So the Galley Hill Dash was put on by the MXPEG , and it is basically a fun run slash race up and down galley hill . Who would want to take part in that ? I have no idea . It must be insane . I can barely walk up it , never mind run up it .
Speaker 3Such a fun day , though it was really good it was really good , a really good community day really good vibes , the weather was perfect couldn't have wanted any better weather , could you ?
Speaker 4but yeah , it was great .
Speaker 1And .
Speaker 3Chrissie Rumsby in the wheelbarrow will live with me forever . So the other thing is obviously the Milecross Community Festival is back this year .
Speaker 6Let's talk a little bit about that .
Speaker 3So I joined . I don't know why I did it to myself , get myself into these things . I joined the festival committee back in 2021 , I believe it was , and I am now the secretary for the committee . But yeah , we're very excited to have it back this year . Another great community event Brings lots of people in . It's really good for raising awareness of charities . It's really good for bringing revenue to the estate . It's making use of a local green space Really lovely day as well . It's a really lovely day and again , the last one in 2023 , I think we'd done it on the hottest day of the year . I think we were just like half melted by the time we finished . It's a long , long day .
Speaker 2But it was good fun so if we're , it runs mainly by volunteers this one , yes , all that is the committee is only about .
Speaker 3I think there's about a dozen of us uh , all local residents . Some of them have been on the committee for years . When I say years , I mean literally decades . Christine lester , bless her , she's 70 she's 70 , so , yeah , she's the longest running committee member . And then obviously you've got Richard Evans . He's another good egg , jeff Mayers . There's lots and lots of good people involved and , yeah , it's probably one of the most stressful things I've ever done in my life the planning of it , but the actual day itself was great it was so lovely .
Speaker 4It was great fun .
Speaker 3It was brilliant and , yeah , really looking forward to it this year . Um , I know that you love the little oldies , don't you ?
Speaker 3in the area and um we were working with them quite heavily , weren't we ? Towards the end of our sort of the more mature residents , the more mature residents ? Yes , but we were sort of focusing
The Green Hearts & Community Gardens
Speaker 3heavily on towards the end of our sort of the more mature residents the more mature residents , yes , but we were sort of focusing heavily on them towards the end of our time as collectors , weren't we ? Yeah , and we've done some events with them had some fun .
Speaker 2Haven't we Done some planting up around their little green area with Norfolk Wildlife Trust ? Yeah , We've done a bingo afternoon . We did . We've done a bingo afternoon we did . We've done a quiz and chips and a cheese and wine tasting event . We've had some really good times . And the afternoon tea yeah bring and bake and stuff upside down pineapple cake .
Speaker 2Oh yeah , that was a thing of beauty but with old , I think what I've learned with old , when you're working with older people , you , they have so much patience . You know my brain . I'm like gotta be here there and they're like whoa , slow down , have a cup of tea just chill cup of tea and a biscuit so also during our time as community connectors we've tried to help people get back into work , gain skills .
Speaker 2We've had a couple of job volunteers slash job fairs . We held one at the Norman Centre had a few people turn up .
Speaker 3Yeah , it's not hard . They didn't have the greatest turnout if we're being brutally honest .
Speaker 3I mean , both events were really good for networking , really good and getting to know organisations out there like Shaw Trust , st Giles Trust , apollo , read Easy . There's a lot of really , really great organisations out there that can provide support and help for people . It's just getting my people there , yeah . So we mentioned Read Easy . They kind of found us really . I think they just came to the phoenix center one that day and um explained what they did . I think was it an mx peg meeting . They came to um and yeah , so read easier , this really great community organization that um help people that can't read um so want to improve their reading skills .
Speaker 3Yes , I want to improve that . So anyone maybe with dyslexia they can give them the right help and support with that . And I believe it started in prisons , didn't it ? I'm sure that's what they said . It started in prisons and they wanted to get it out into the community . And yeah , I think we kind of knew in our heads there was a certain few people that were like this would be really good for them .
Speaker 2Yeah , an opportunity that they could advance on their reading skills yeah , yeah .
Speaker 3So I think they've , and actually a few of the people , my mum included I forgot my mum actually became a Read Easy tutor , mentor , yeah , Coach , I don't know whatever is the right term for it Mentor , mentor , yeah , coach , I don't know whatever is the right term for it .
Speaker 3She became one and she worked with a friend of mine to help improve her reading and it was really lovely . It was a really nice thing to see them both coming together and helping each other and supporting each other . We have also worked really closely with Lucy from Mind . She is amazing . They do all sorts of lovely Nature Connect things forest bathing , wreath making workshops the wreath making workshops because they're free , yeah , very popular and they provide everything . They bring everything with them .
Speaker 3Yeah they book up ridiculously quickly . I mean they could probably get double as many people in for those . Yeah , they're really really popular , aren't they ? And we've done ? We've done it twice . Yeah , it's really good fun . Yeah , I think a lot of what we do and a lot of what the organizations do is creating opportunities , just opportunities for people . So just to try things , you know yeah , go new skill yeah go on a bat walk . Yeah , go and visit your local sweetbriar marshes and , you know , have a nice little chill walk .
Speaker 2Yeah , see some natural nature .
Speaker 3Get outside , get a bit of fresh air .
Speaker 2Yeah , get a bit of exercise , get a bit of sun on your back Always good . Lee Lee From .
Speaker 3Norfolk .
Speaker 1Wildlife .
Speaker 3Trust . They've done loads of again , helping with gardening , with the palette making , with the green hearts . They've done trips and they've done that lovely trip to natural surroundings near Holt they provided the coach to take us all there . It was such a lovely day , it was really nice and that was open to anyone in the community to come along to , wasn't it ?
Speaker 2I'd really like to go there again .
Speaker 3Yeah , it was a really lovely day . It was such a nice just so peaceful wasn't it ?
Speaker 2It was lovely , just rolling hills and little gardens and that little herb garden .
Speaker 3I want that in my garden .
Speaker 2Some other things we've done Christmas cows around the tree outside the school . All I can hear is your . I'm sorry , I just want to make .
Speaker 3Yes , the cows around the tree was a really lovely thing . We've done it several times now Again with the Phoenix Centre , the Common Lot and the Salvation Army .
Speaker 6Yeah , with their brass band .
Speaker 1Yeah , it was lovely .
Speaker 3And the Marlcross Primary School . They're really good because it wouldn't happen without them , because we get their tree . So , yeah , the last day of term before the kids break up for Christmas , the school donate their tree , their lovely 12-foot Christmas tree , to us .
Speaker 3We put it up on the little green outside the school , decorate it with some lovely bows and some lights , with the kids , the school decorate it with some lovely bows and some lights With the kids , yeah , and then I think the first year we'd done it , we'd done a lantern parade , we didn't do that the last time , I think just because we were so busy . It's just such a busy time of year , isn't it Such a busy time ? Yeah , we got the thank God for the gazebo because it rained so we were all huddled under this little gazebo . But again it was really lovely . It was open to anybody in the community . They can come along and just sing some have a hot chocolate , yeah sing some lovely .
Speaker 1Christmas carols . Yeah , lovely , and yeah it was a lovely , lovely event .
Speaker 3I'd like to see it happen every year , if possible . I think it would be nice .
Speaker 5A little tradition .
Speaker 3Tradition yeah , random things to give away this year . So there was some boxes and boxes of mince pies and selection boxes and teddies and fruit and veg loads of stuff . The Phoenix Centre had loads of stuff left over , surplus food donations and things that we were able to hand out and actually it was really gratefully received by people in the community because like . I said it's such an expensive time of year , Anything they can get help with is you know , bonus it is . Bonus . So , Claire , what made you become a community connector ?
Speaker 2OK , I'd just moved to the area , like I think it was in the March , and I got the job in the November . I had a few different jobs , cycling from job to job every day , like three different jobs , bloody knackering and I got the job , I applied and I thought what a perfect way to figure out your new community . You know , I'd lived there six months , knew where the shop was , where the bus stop was and the school , you know . But having this job has made me a more confident person , like getting out of my own way to help other people as well , you know .
Speaker 3Yeah , yeah , I moved back to Mallcross in 2020 . No , it wasn't , it was 2018 . In 2020 , no , it wasn't , it was 2018 . And my daughter started going to the Phoenix Centre for their after school club . That's kind of how I discovered it . I mean , I'd known about the Phoenix Centre for years but hadn't been there . And my friend , mary , told me about the baby and toddler group that they did there , which was when I just had my son Ruben . So I started going along to that and then just started helping out , which I'd done with when I'd had my daughter as well . I just , I don't know .
Speaker 3I just maybe it's just a natural thing in me , but I just like to be helpful and be useful , yeah , and I remember seeing the connector posts become available . I remember getting the flyer through the post for it and I thought , well , I'm the nod and I'm the nod . And I thought , oh no , and I knew there was another post coming up , which was Bea's one . Yeah , and I wanted to hold out for that , so I didn't apply for it in the end . But then I met you and Catherine and Rachel .
Speaker 2That must have been early 2022 . And Nadine Late 21 . Yeah .
Speaker 3So there was four Milecross Community Connectors originally wasn't there and I remember
Events & Activities in Marlcross
Speaker 3following the shoebox on Facebook and seeing the posts , like the one of you , where you had to draw around each other like the floor and I thought whatever is this role ?
Speaker 3What are they doing ? It was a pilot role role , wasn't it really ? So I met you and then Nadine had to give up the role , unfortunately . So I kind of helped cover for her and I partnered up with Catherine , and then those two roles ended , didn't they ? Yours and Rachel's carried on , and then Rachel broke her foot . It was an accident , yeah , so I helped cover her time while she was off with that , and then when she came back , she only came back part-time , yeah , so we split her hours , yeah , and then she left all together and you were left with me , my work wife , and we became the dream team .
Speaker 2It's just frustrating because I know how much good there is in the community and I think if people just give it a chance , if you don't live on Marcos , you don't know what Marcos is about .
Speaker 3You just know the reputation , what you read in the news . The news doesn't help always in that sense because they do like to focus on the negative and they don't always focus on the positive , 100% . But there are a lot of people in Marlcross , live in Marlcross , that hate it , that slate the area and oh , there's no community here and oh it's . You know it's crap here .
Speaker 2They're not looking in the right places .
Speaker 3No they're not looking . If they just looked , if they just gave it a chance , they would see there is a lot of good stuff in . Marlcross , there is a really good , strong sense of community in Marlcross .
Speaker 2You've got three churches , three churches in Marlcross .
Speaker 3Yeah , you've got the Marlcross Primary School . You've got the Red Balloon School . You've got the mosque Shops , so school , you've got the mosques , so many shops , the norman center . There's so many places you know where you can go and meet people and be welcomed .
Speaker 2yeah yeah , there's so much history on mall cross . I went for a little history guided walk with stewart mcpherson the mall crosslcross man . Learned so many things . It's got one of the biggest roads Marlcross has . Yeah , Suckling Avenue is so wide , but it was because of when it was built , innit Like the horse and carts and stuff .
Speaker 3I have to say history is not my forte , not your forte .
Speaker 2I do love history . There's a new group started called Heritage Hearts .
Speaker 3Another subgroup of the MXP ?
Speaker 2Yeah , there's so much rich history in Royal Cross .
Speaker 3There is , yeah , there is . We've also done some other community pop-up things , like the oh , I know a good one the community picnic that we'd done . Yeah , very nice day . That was vital for me because that was when we met the Senko from Marcos Primary . Yeah , and we found out about the fact that there's over 50 young carers at Marcos Primary School alone . These aren't children that maybe officially termed carers , but the school deem them as carers because they have responsibilities that an average child wouldn't .
Speaker 3so you mean , like , help a mum with getting dressed , or medication or food or a sibling or a grandparent , even anyone that they would have they would have to do extra things for that the average child wouldn't , or they might be deprived of certain things that the average child , you know would get .
Speaker 2So the kids can be quite young , can't they ?
Speaker 3They're between 5 and 11 years . So , yeah , some of them are quite young and while there's provision for them , so the school do a creative carers group that meet once a week after school , but there's nothing outside of school time for them . So we then went back to the Phoenix Centre and fed this information back and , with the help of Bea , we got some funding and we started the MX Care Free project , which I now run . That's my baby Free project , yeah , which I now run , that's my baby . So , yeah , we offer three-day trips , one every school holiday , for the young carers from Marlcross and Catten Grove Primary School . We only have 30 places so we can't cover them all , but hopefully you know , the majority of them , I mean , some of them may not want to come on the trips . That's fine , yeah , but hopefully the majority of them will get a look in at some point . And we've done loads of lovely things we've been to Pennsthorpe , we've been to trampolining , we've been to UEA , the Oak Street Circus that was the best one that was brilliant .
Speaker 3Yeah , the garage loads of and building up those connections as well , and the UEA . We've then that's then fed in back into the community role so there's other opportunities that have come up from , like the uea or from the garage , uh , where they do outreach stuff , and we can then signpost people to them . Yeah , so again , making those connections connecting the dots .
Speaker 2It is connecting the dots Also . The Marquess Library . That's a really good place . It's a little hub .
Speaker 3Yes , yeah , nick the manager , there is just lovely Such a nice man .
Speaker 2Yeah , they do the Knit and Stitch , is it ?
Speaker 1Knit Stitch and Laugh .
Speaker 2I think it is . Yeah , once a month at the Marquess Library they also do the Bounce and Rhyme for little toddlers .
Speaker 3Yeah , they also do the Bounce and Rhyme for little toddlers , yeah , and there's a Lego club . I think there is a meeting for neurodivergent people . I can't remember if it's children or adults , but I think they meet once a month there as well , and they also do the things like the periods of poverty , don't they ? So they have sanitary products for people that need it . They've got toiletry products for people that need it . I think they've got like hats and blankets and stuff as well , for , you know , people that are struggling . Yeah , such a good little hub . It is a good little hub . I think one of the most challenging bits about the job is the admin . Yeah , 100% , we all hate the admin . It's got to be done , but we all hate it . No , but it's learning it's poo .
Speaker 3It's learning to separate those , because you can't help it when we're not supposed to counsel or you know what's the word , I can't even think what the word is Guide people , I don't know . Advise people , no . But you can't help it when you work in the community and you see the same people every day . You can't help but build up those friendships and those relationships .
Speaker 4You can't help .
Speaker 3You can't avoid it and people do like to talk some people .
Speaker 2Some people just want to be heard . Yeah , You've got to give them the opportunity , haven't you ? Yeah ?
Speaker 3they just want a voice to listen to them you know , and they do sometimes omit things that are quite heavy , quite , you know , quite personal .
Speaker 2I told you how ideal would be Things like go home and cry in the shower Because there is nothing that we can actually do Eating Cadbury's cream eggs Okay . So we've had a couple of fun nights up the Boundary .
Speaker 3Pub . We do our Phoenix fam . We're partial to a bit of fun nights up the Boundary Pub . We do our Phoenix fam .
Speaker 1Yeah , Christmas time .
Speaker 3Karaoke , aren't we ?
Speaker 1Well .
Speaker 3I'm not . I bloody hate karaoke . I don't know . You're a chair karaokeist . Yeah , I'll sit on my chair and sing along , but I ain't getting on the mic .
Speaker 2But yeah , they have like live music up there . It's a good old knees up , isn't it ? Yeah , music up there , it's a good old knees up , isn't it ?
Speaker 3Yeah , it always seems to bring in a good crowd , and they do a dementia cafe up there once a month , don't they ?
Speaker 2I think it's the second Tuesday of every month .
Speaker 3So , yeah , other things that we do , we are quite partial . Be awesome . Well , we are awesome , yeah , but we are quite partial to a bit of face painting action , aren't we ? Yeah , aren't we ? So ? We do like to team up and do some face painting at local events . Yeah , charities . We are by no means professionals , but we try our best .
Speaker 2We have fun doing it , so that's all that matters we have fun doing whatever we're doing don't we ? We just mess about , yeah , yeah we are to be fair , this has been one of the funniest jobs I've had , just because you work with me . Yeah , because we just have some fun . You know I'm going to miss . I am going to really miss this job .
Speaker 3I am going to miss this job You're going to get me crying . Well , you know , we're still , hopefully we're going to be living in the area , so hopefully we'll still be involved . I'm
Supporting Vulnerable Residents
Speaker 3still going to help out with the Green Hearts . I'm still going to help out with the Green Hearts .
Speaker 2I'm still going to help out with the Phoenix Centre . Yeah , just the hardest thing , it is .
Speaker 3And the other connectors as well , built up good friendships with them , haven't we ? Because that's the other thing we do . Not everyone in Marlcross necessarily lives in Marlcross . Like Lisa , she's a good egg . She lived in Marlcross and then Traitorous went and left us to . Nr5 . Meets .
Speaker 2Earlham .
Speaker 3But she still comes back for the Green Hearts and Crafty Hearts . Yeah , but we were able to signpost her to the West Earlham yeah , community connectors . Yeah , so you know . She goes over to the mile pit centre now . And Baseline Chrissie , she's another good egg in the mile cross community . But she's over at Baseline but is originally mile cross .
Speaker 2So , there's , you know , crossovers there as well , you can leave the cross , but your heart won't , no , isn't it ?
Speaker 3Did you like that ? I did like that . What is it ? You Isn't it . Did you like that ? I did like that . What is it ? You can take mile cross out of the girl or you can't take what you can take .
Speaker 1Mile cross , you can take the girl out of mile cross , but you can't take the mile cross out of the girl .
Speaker 5That's the one .
Speaker 3You know what I was getting at .
Speaker 2What do you like ?
Speaker 3I think you've got a bit of a sugar rush . Yeah , you've been daft now , haven't you ?
Speaker 6Sorry .
Speaker 2OK . So if you want to find out what's going on , just have a look at the Mile Exchange Facebook page .
Speaker 3It tells you what's on every day , every week , and it's Mile . Letter X Change . Just so you're intentional for the right thing , yeah . Yes , if you're living in Mount , intentional for the right thing . Yeah , yes , if you're living in Mount Cross , we'll see you soon .
Speaker 1You're listening to the Mount Cross episode of Community Unboxed . One of our main jobs is being present within the communities we work in . Ali and Claire have been recording conversations at the Phoenix Centre , where people have gathered to eat together .
Speaker 3Okay , so today we are at the community cafe in the Phoenix Centre and on the menu is cheese potato pie it's a firm favourite Jacket spuds which are always on there as an alternative Cheesecake filled dessert . And , yes , it's looking quite busy today . So what do you do here at the Phoenix Centre ?
Speaker 4I started doing gardening and maintenance jobs here and there that needed doing and I met Simon the first day , who said he needed help with his outdoor theatre .
Speaker 3Simon Floyd .
Speaker 4Floyd , yes , that same week , so straight away I was meeting new people and getting out in the evenings .
Speaker 3Marie , what brings you to the community cafe ?
Speaker 6just to have some lunch and just do my friend dishes going to come you come most weeks , don't you ?
Speaker 3I come most weeks , and you used to volunteer here as well , didn't you ? Yeah ?
Speaker 6a few years ago now , but nearly 100 for 10 years . Wow , I didn't know it was that long .
Speaker 3But you use the centre for a lot of things , don't you ? You come for Slim and Wild yeah .
Speaker 6Slim and Wild on Tuesday . Yeah , and start the fitness .
Speaker 5Oh the seated exercises .
Speaker 3yeah , how did that go ?
Speaker 6Yeah , I went all right . I was a bit achy the next day .
Speaker 5I think I've overdone it this week with the exercise .
Speaker 3Yeah , and you've done some of the adult education courses here as well , haven't you ?
Speaker 6Yeah , the airfarm course and one of the slow cooking courses as well , lovely .
Speaker 3Thanks very much . Enjoy your lunch . What do you get out of coming here , friends ?
Speaker 5Friends , oh my God , and like I , I said you've got wonderful food here , you've got wonderful people . Come here and it's a lovely , friendly place . Oh , thank you , terence . Okay , and I give you 10 out of 10 for this place .
Speaker 3I give you 10 out of 10 for your piano playing . Oh , bless your heart , did you hear him play the piano for the Christmas deal ? It was lovely , wasn't it ? Yeah , it's really nice .
The Phoenix Centre & Final Reflections
Speaker 3So , nadine , you were a community connector at one point . How did you find that ?
Speaker 6I really enjoyed it . I did . It was a shame I had to give it up too soon . I was just getting involved in the community , not realising actually there's more community out there than you think , just talking to different types of people and their experiences in the neighbourhood , but you've also helped out a lot here .
Speaker 4You used to send quite a lot .
Speaker 6I have . Yeah , you've come to .
Speaker 3Crafty Hearts and you've helped with the young carers .
Speaker 6Yeah , I do look into getting back into it a bit more because I do miss it .
Speaker 5I just haven't found anywhere else .
Speaker 6In my personal opinion to I don't know . You just get joy out of it , don't you Like to speak , meet different people ?
Speaker 1just experience it . One of the sparks in the Milecross community is Lisa . Although recently moved , she still travels to take part in activities and lunches in the area she's called home . For so many years she's been sharing her shoebox item with Claire .
Speaker 2Have you brought us a shoebox item today ?
Speaker 5Yes , it's wrapped in a mysterious tea towel .
Speaker 1Would you like to see my ?
Speaker 5mystery item . We would . The mystery item is a model of a custom motorcycle .
Speaker 2That's so cool . What's it made out of Metal ? It's just wrapped wire . That's so cool . It looks like Harley Davidson .
Speaker 5The reason I thought that is because 30 years ago I used to ride a custom motorcycle . Did you , I did .
Speaker 2Wicked , I could imagine you on a bike . Actually , I've seen you straddle a bit of wood . That was for practice . Yeah , oh , man , that is so cool .
Speaker 5Yeah , I had a V-twin .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's so cool .
Speaker 5Yes , it wasn't a Harley that I rode , but it was a CX650 , custom US import . Ah , ah , 650 . Wow , you didn't mess about . You didn't mess about I was riding at one of the Highlands of Scotland , wow , wow , because that's where I lived for seven years . I had a friend who lodged with me on Ayrshire Road above the post office . She was from Scotland , the Highlands , and after a couple of years she went back home and I said well , I'll come up on holiday . I went up on holiday , came back home for two weeks to pack my job in and moved out there .
Speaker 2That's the way to do it .
Speaker 5Just one of these things you do when you're 20 years old and young and nothing to tie you down . I think one of the biggest things I did up there was I had open heart surgery . That's a biggie . It was discovered when I went for a voluntary job in the hospital and I had a medical and they had a heart murmur and sent me for tests .
Speaker 1I always knew I had a heart murmur .
Speaker 5I told them I always knew I had a heart murmur . Fortunately , they just wanted to investigate further . And then I got my bike , joined the bike groups . Did you go for all the meet ups ? Yeah , I got loads of rally badges on a waistcoat . Oh wow , that's so cool . The distance from Inverness to Northern Ireland is a lot further than you'd think . I always tell my son now that he's been on a motorcycle all the way from Inverness to Northern Ireland .
Speaker 1Wow , that's cute .
Speaker 5But we did have an amazing trip and we saw the bike racing and we got there and we got back and all was good .
Speaker 2So you've always been part of different communities , so this one you're proper embedded in Yep again .
Speaker 5This one now .
Speaker 2Because you're involved in a lot of different groups around the area . You don't actually live in the area anymore Not anymore , but I was .
Speaker 5A lot of people would hate to live in NR3 . Me , I'd rather have stayed here .
Speaker 2I think if you don't live in NR3 , especially , with Milecross you don't understand it . If you don't come from here , you don't understand it .
Speaker 5You don't even necessarily have to come from here . Once you've moved into the community , then you realise what a community it is . Outside , people run it down . Yeah , once you've been here , you wouldn't want to leave .
Speaker 2so now I'm just an honorary yeah , certificate they gave me a certificate to prove it so , yeah , so you're involved in crafty hearts yep , craft group that happens here at the phoenix centre on a friday morning , calf here on a monday yep , have you been to the brunch thing on a Tuesday here ?
Speaker 5Occasionally not all the time , because it's good to have a day off between doing things .
Speaker 4So I'm there on a Monday we're cute on a Tuesday .
Speaker 5Wednesday is when I do the Burgess Road Garden . Another thing is trying being involved with the gardening groups as much as I can .
Speaker 2Which you are . You're involved in most of them , yeah .
Speaker 5I try to be , but I seem to have been quite embedded in the Burgess Road as their disability advisor because of the way they're building it is to make it accessible .
Speaker 2And I think that you're one of the best people to tell people how it should be made because of your disability . Yeah , and what's ?
Speaker 5needed . Although I'm not wheelchair bound , I can also relate to it being for wheelchair users as well .
Speaker 5I know that at Leigh Foy Road they used your disability to build the raised bed for the height requirements the raised bed is on a grassed area so it might not be accessible to everybody , but it is . It's flat , yeah , so you've got paved area within like a couple of meters of the raised bed . It was easier there to make it accessible . Yeah , because of just building it high and it being flat away . Yeah , burgess road it's on an awful slope , a very big slope , being built on staggered levels one at the top , yeah , and a lower one at the bottom .
Speaker 2You are like a foreman down there that's what I see you as all right , that's been great talking to you , lisa . Uh , I'm gonna leave you know so you can enjoy your lunch at the community cafe . At the Community Cafe at the Phoenix Centre .
Speaker 5Thank you , claire . I look forward to you serving it to me and , of course , my cup of tea .
Speaker 1Claire , you've been listening to Community Unboxed . For more information , head to theshoeboxorguk .