Close Up North

I watched a documentary called 'Close Up North' made in 1997 about Bransholme. It was made 12 years on from a BBC documentary which followed the life a Bransholme resident named Paul Wilson.

Revisiting him showed that he was one of the success stories of Bransholme, going from being unemployed to training as a landscaper and having his own house and family. Him and other residents talked about how Bransholme has improved. No ugly maisonettes and the Garths have been redesigned.

Police described how they were using an unconventional approach to crime by targeting persistant offenders.

Also the Police made an a partnership with 'Bransholme Urban Motoring Association' (BUMPS) providing BUMPS with parts from abandoned and unclaimed stolen vechiles. As well as encouraging young people on the estate to attend.

Gina born in Brixton, had moved to Bransholme and started 'Bransholme Motivation' in an empty shop unit. Gina talked about how Bransholme has a lack of self confidence and the idea of the Bransholme Motivation project was to address this and raise esteem amongst residents by sharing skills, running workshops in music and IT as well as providing holistic treatments to relieve stress.

'Residents are beginning to believe the estates own bad press.'
''A problem estate' for the council but residents prefer to call it 'an estate with problems.''
'There is a community spirit' ' Big-hearted Bransholme' 'Improvements on a grassroots level'

The video also interviewed Harry the Milk Man a caring community figure in the area.