Ashford’s Singleton Environment Centre has been attracting visitors from all around the borough and further a field since it opened in May this year, but last week two Japanese academics visited to find out more about it.

Noriko Kajiki, Associate Professor in Urban & Regional Planning at Kobe Women’s University and her colleague Noriko Tsujimoto from Osaka College of Social Health and Welfare visited Singleton with their host Yoshihiko Oyama from Birmingham University.

Their fact finding visit was to learn about the work of BTCV, the environmental charity that runs the Singleton Environment Centre in partnership with Ashford Borough Council, and the role of the environmental voluntary & charity sector organisations in the UK.

Their visit was as part of week in Kent to learn about development and skills in promoting biodiversity and community involvement which is something the Japanese are looking to develop. In particular they were interested in BTCV ’s work at the Singleton Environment Centre and partnership with Ashford Borough Council.

Yoshihko Oyama from Birmingham University said, “We wanted to visit BTCV as we know that BTCV is a leading organisation in the UK in terms of working with people and local communities.”

They met with BTCV Kent’s Training Manager Mike Phillips who explained about the charity and in particular their work in Kent working with local groups, such as the Ashford Community Woodland group and the Ashford Veteran Tree Project which are two projects run in the borough, alongside other projects around the county.

In Kent, BTCV has strong local partnerships and with over 45 years of experience and has developed a collection of successful projects. From their base at the Singleton Environment Centre, BTCV offers diverse training opportunities, Green Gyms, a network of community warden schemes, compost advisers and a range of practical activities across Kent.

Centre Manager Daniel Jones explained about the Singleton Environment Centre and all the sustainable features that were used in construction and operation of the building and the ongoing partnership work with Ashford Borough Council and others. The visitors were also interested to hear how the centre’s Footprints Café is now a focal point for the local community, whilst at the same time educating people on local, seasonal produce and reducing food miles.

Yoshihko Oyama said, “It was so nice to visit the Centre as we could see and sense a new community and landscape has been created with the Centre as the focal point. The new environmental building, the community woodland, community cafe, training and empowerment of local communities - all make up a new opportunity for making local communities sustainable. It was very exciting and inspiring.”

Daniel Jones from BTCV said: “We were delighted our Japanese visitors wanted to come to Ashford to find out more about BTCV and the Singleton Environment Centre. We hope that they will be able to take a few ideas from their fact finding visit to shape what they are doing in Japan.”

To find out more for yourself, you can visit the centre seven days as week in Wesley School Road, off Cuckoo Lane in Singleton. For more information on the Singleton Environment Centre and visit the BTCV website or contact Kent BTCV on 01233 666 519.

Media Release 0241/08

15/09/2008