An idea grown in Britain
Groundwork was born in the late 1970s in the UK as a tool for regional environmental improvement and for new ways of building communities under “the small government initiative” of the Thatcher government.
The aim is for a continual environmental improvement at a regional level by the local populations, reducing the reliance on any centrally administered bureaucracy. The Groundwork Trust has been initiating several activities to enrich the communities with the tripartite partnership of residents, companies and the government.
About 25 years have passed since its establishment. In Britain there are by now over fifty active trusts that exercise activities considering the local needs and situations such as local reproduction, education, welfare and job creation. The profit gained through various activities flows back to local charities in order to enrich the community.
The keywords are “from dependence to residents’ action” and “from opposition to partnership”.
Groundwork Fukuoka today
Today our annual activities include the flower transplanting work (flower seedlings grown by local residents and high school students are transplanted and distributed to communities) and the Floral Joint Concert (concerts by bands of disabled children who have been showing wonderful performances). Besides the exchange programs with the UK we support integrated study programs for elementary and Junior high schools as well as special education schools. Our work varies in many fields such as environmental improvement, environmental education and welfare work.
An overview
2007 – The nationwide Groundwork association was entrusted for the first time with the administration of the Firefly and Stone Bridge Hall in Joyo (Yame-shi) and four other institutions.
2002 – Groundwork was registered as a non-profit organization
1999 – Change of name to “Groundwork Fukuoka”
1996 – Change of name to “Fukuoka Study Group For Groundwork Trust”
1993 – Establishment of the organization “For narrators of the 21st century” which was aiming for the symbiosis and which started environmental action at Nyoraida, Miyata-cho, Kurate district
Awards
2004 (Feb.) – Fukuoka Cultural Award
2002 (Aug.) – KBC Water and Green Grand Prix
2001 (Jan.) – The First Japan Groundwork Grand Prix
1998 (Aug.) – The Fifth Coca-Cola Environmental Education Award (Coca-Cola Environmental Education Foundation)
1998 (Mar.) – The First Uminonakamichi Flower Picnic Prize Citizens’ Flower Beds
Groundwork Fukuoka 