0:00:03 > 0:00:06Across Britain in hundreds of towns, cities and neighbourhoods,
0:00:06 > 0:00:09people are struggling with everyday worries
0:00:09 > 0:00:11that have got on top of them.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13But there are places to turn,
0:00:13 > 0:00:15even if it seems that no-one else will help.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19This centre is one of them -
0:00:19 > 0:00:21made unique by the woman that runs it.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25A nun for 51 years...
0:00:25 > 0:00:27- HORN HONKS - Bye-bye.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30..she's made it her mission to get this community back on its feet
0:00:30 > 0:00:35and make a real difference to the lives of as many people as she can -
0:00:35 > 0:00:37in her own particular way!
0:00:40 > 0:00:43They don't call me the formidable Sister Rita for nothing!
0:00:48 > 0:00:52Today, Sister Rita launches her biggest project yet, to transform
0:00:52 > 0:00:55the local area by opening a shop in the heart of the community.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00We're trying to make it easier for the people in Collyhurst who
0:01:00 > 0:01:03- are struggling to buy things that they need.- Yes, I know.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06And the nun's other big idea could be sunk when there's an
0:01:06 > 0:01:10unexpected water crisis at the allotment.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13So all the plants and vegetables have to die of thirst.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15It is the craziest thing I've ever heard of.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18How could you have an allotment without water?
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Another morning has broken at the Lalley Centre.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27I still didn't hear you. Good morning.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29- ALL:- Good morning!
0:01:29 > 0:01:30Thank you.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33But as usual, it's something of a rude awakening
0:01:33 > 0:01:35for those who step out of line.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Are you still talking?
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Go on outside and talk. Goodbye!
0:01:40 > 0:01:43I will throw you out, you know. I'm quite capable.
0:01:43 > 0:01:44I've learned how to do it.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49No-one does tough love better than the formidable Sister Rita...
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Tell them, hurry up.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54..who's made it her personal mission to make life better
0:01:54 > 0:01:57for the residents of one of the most deprived parts of UK.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Well, I do expect wonders, but miracles take a bit longer.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03Nobody wants to bribe you!
0:02:03 > 0:02:06She's turned the Lalley into a focal point for the community -
0:02:06 > 0:02:09a place where anyone can drop in to get financial advice,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12welfare support, and food from the food bank.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15It's about making friends here -
0:02:15 > 0:02:17creating community.
0:02:17 > 0:02:22We are fighting to make Collyhurst a better place.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Nothing gets past this no-nonsense nun,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28who's never afraid to say exactly what she thinks...
0:02:28 > 0:02:32And if he knows me very well, love, he should be a bit scared of me.
0:02:32 > 0:02:37..but is always there for people to turn to when they most need it.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39This is what we do at the Lalley Centre.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44We come to your house or flat or whatever and then we help you.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49While some of the people who come to Sister Rita and her team for
0:02:49 > 0:02:53assistance have an obvious or immediate need,
0:02:53 > 0:02:54it isn't always that simple.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59In the Lalley Centre, you get all types of people coming in.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03You get some who never shut up, talking all the time
0:03:03 > 0:03:08and you have some who are very, very quiet and rather isolated.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10They don't ask you for anything.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13You don't know what their needs are because they won't tell you.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16There is no hurry. You don't rush people.
0:03:17 > 0:03:23You take them at their own pace and when they're ready,
0:03:23 > 0:03:25they'll reveal it all.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28That's exactly how it's worked out with Michelle Edwards.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Keen to give something back in return for taking food from
0:03:31 > 0:03:34the food bank, she's volunteered to give some much-needed help at
0:03:34 > 0:03:38the Lalley's new allotment, which it's hoped will soon be supplying
0:03:38 > 0:03:40the food bank with fresh fruit and veg.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44It's a nice little achievement.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47It's nice to see, like, things growing as well.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Until three years ago, Michelle worked in security for major
0:03:51 > 0:03:56events and festivals and she relied on her mother to look after her kids
0:03:56 > 0:04:00but after her mum became ill and subsequently died, she had to stop
0:04:00 > 0:04:04working and now she's struggling to keep up with her mortgage payments.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08I got very depressed when my mum passed away.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10Um...
0:04:12 > 0:04:16I don't know. Kind of lost, if you will, cos she did do a lot.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20She looked after, like, my children, whilst I was working.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24But Sister Rita doesn't miss a trick
0:04:24 > 0:04:28and she's teased out more from Michelle about her personal situation.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31The nun's discovered Michelle's been relying on income support
0:04:31 > 0:04:32to help pay her mortgage,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35leaving her with little money for other food and essentials.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41I began to know Michelle more as a person.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46There was a reticence to speak about anything to do with herself,
0:04:46 > 0:04:48her need, and they say,
0:04:48 > 0:04:53you don't take your dirty linen and wash it outside.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56This is what they used to say.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59You keep it in, no matter how painful.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02No matter how hard, you just struggle on.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Well, I'm sorry, but it's not like that any more and we were
0:05:05 > 0:05:08never put on the planet to be carrying, you know,
0:05:08 > 0:05:12such awful burdens with us and not share them with others.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16So, tell me what you need right now.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19It's just, really, a single bed.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21Who's the single bed for, Michelle?
0:05:21 > 0:05:23The bed's for Lincoln, my son.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Right, Michelle, this is what happens.
0:05:25 > 0:05:26We get the single bed,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29and we get everything that has to go with it, including the pillows
0:05:29 > 0:05:30and duvet cover and the duvet
0:05:30 > 0:05:33and you can put the duvet cover on yourself.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Furniture is often among the goods
0:05:35 > 0:05:38donated to the Lalley to find a deserving home.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41And having asked her second-in-command, Max,
0:05:41 > 0:05:43to look for a suitable bed for Michelle's son,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47Sister Rita heads straight round to deliver it in person.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50I hear a lot that children don't have beds.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Sometimes they're looking for a bed for themselves
0:05:53 > 0:05:55a lot of the times, but it's very strange,
0:05:55 > 0:05:59because you just take it for granted that everybody has a bed.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Well, not...no, they don't.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06Two-year-old Lincoln can't wait to see his new bed.
0:06:06 > 0:06:07Sister Rita here.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10- You can get five hugs.- Thank you.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13Right, we'll get the bed and we'll bring it upstairs.
0:06:13 > 0:06:14- Is that OK?- Yeah.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17It's just one basic piece of furniture.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21But for Michelle and Lincoln, this bed couldn't mean more
0:06:21 > 0:06:24and Sister Rita is pleased she was able to find out
0:06:24 > 0:06:26that was what they needed.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31You know, a lot of people feel very ashamed to be asking for things.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34You could call it pride but pride is OK,
0:06:34 > 0:06:41but it hinders a lot of quiet people to ask for things they really need.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45And I'm very grateful that we found out from Michelle that she
0:06:45 > 0:06:50needs this bed and we're very happy to be able to provide it.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55This kind of personal help will always be the focus of the Lalley.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59But Sister Rita also has big plans to make
0:06:59 > 0:07:04a difference to the community as a whole.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08- SHE SINGS ALONG: - # ..change your mind I'm the first in line
0:07:08 > 0:07:12# Honey, I'm still free Take a chance on me... #
0:07:12 > 0:07:16Sister Rita first came to Collyhurst in 1961.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20When aged just 17, she left her home in Ireland to live in this convent.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28I thought I was leaving Cork city and my family forever,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31because the sisters didn't go home again.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34So this was a life I was about to embrace.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37And it wasn't just life as a nun she embraced.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41It was the start of a deep attachment to the people living nearby.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47I began to get to know the people and you learned about Collyhurst.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51You learned about their lives and you learned about their struggle.
0:07:51 > 0:07:57From the very start, I got a great appreciation and love for the people
0:07:57 > 0:07:59of Collyhurst and I still have it today.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Still have it today.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04But Collyhurst has always been a deprived area.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08And in recent years, Sister Rita thinks that it's only got worse.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14Collyhurst is one of the poorest areas in the country
0:08:14 > 0:08:17and has been for quite a long time.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20You know, there's nothing in Collyhurst.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22There isn't a isn't petrol station,
0:08:22 > 0:08:27there isn't a post office, so they have to do an awful lot more
0:08:27 > 0:08:32before they make this an area where it's going to be different.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35There is a sadness in me as I come around here.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38There is a sadness in me when I see things like this.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43I've always carried a love of Collyhurst with me
0:08:43 > 0:08:47and I hope that for many years, I will be able to work here.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53For Sister Rita, one of the most obvious signs of the area's decline
0:08:53 > 0:08:55is very close to home -
0:08:55 > 0:08:59the run of shops right next to the Lalley's food bank.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03One by one, each of the square's retail units has closed,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07leaving just the food bank and a cafe, struggling to survive.
0:09:07 > 0:09:08Eastford Square.
0:09:10 > 0:09:11Oh, what a mess.
0:09:13 > 0:09:20So it's here on her doorstep that Sister Rita is hatching perhaps her most ambitious idea yet.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24She wants to revive the shops and their place at the centre of the community.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30What we're trying to do is bring it back a little bit to what it was.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34Maybe we would never be able to bring it back completely,
0:09:34 > 0:09:39but at least create places that will draw people and create community.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42That's what we want to do here.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45The Council plans to demolish the shops within two years
0:09:45 > 0:09:47and there's no real prospect
0:09:47 > 0:09:49of anyone else making use of them until then,
0:09:49 > 0:09:53so Sister Rita is hoping she can find a way to fill at least one of them herself
0:09:53 > 0:09:55and in the process, provide work
0:09:55 > 0:09:58and training opportunities for local residents.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05Once Sister Rita's set her mind to something, there's no stopping her,
0:10:05 > 0:10:09regardless of how big the challenge is going to be,
0:10:09 > 0:10:13so she wastes no time trying to rally support for her idea.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16I thought, wouldn't it be lovely for the people who live at Collyhurst
0:10:16 > 0:10:19that they're not going to have, you know, empty shops.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Key to getting the project off the ground
0:10:23 > 0:10:26will be winning the support of the Council.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29So Sister Rita's arranged a meeting with local Councillor Julie,
0:10:29 > 0:10:34and neighbourhood team manager Ann, to try and get their backing
0:10:34 > 0:10:36and she is particularly interested in discussing
0:10:36 > 0:10:38if she could set things up in a way
0:10:38 > 0:10:40that would benefit the whole community,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42by running it as a social enterprise,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44so that any profits would
0:10:44 > 0:10:48automatically go back into the businesses to help them grow.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52Was there any possibility that we could do some social enterprise,
0:10:52 > 0:10:56so we would have to ask the people here who live in Collyhurst
0:10:56 > 0:11:00what really would help you to have on Eastford Square?
0:11:00 > 0:11:04It is an opportunity, then, for you to meet a need in the community,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07so if people need food or whatever it might be,
0:11:07 > 0:11:09you would treat this like any other business.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11Yeah.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16The thing that makes it different at the end is if you make a profit, you reinvest that.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18Sister Rita is delighted
0:11:18 > 0:11:22that the social enterprise model fits with her plans.
0:11:22 > 0:11:23Her vision is to create voluntary
0:11:23 > 0:11:26work opportunities for local residents
0:11:26 > 0:11:30while also reinvesting any profit straight back into the shop
0:11:30 > 0:11:33and with around 70,000 social enterprises already operating
0:11:33 > 0:11:37across the UK, employing nearly one million people,
0:11:37 > 0:11:39it's a proven business plan that really works.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45If we, in the two years, can actually train up
0:11:45 > 0:11:50maybe four or five people, I think that's well worth it.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52You know, because if they have a qualification,
0:11:52 > 0:11:53they'll get a job quicker.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57This is about creating community and changing lives,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00so that people feel real again.
0:12:00 > 0:12:05They feel human again, they feel part of the community again
0:12:05 > 0:12:08and they begin to make friends -
0:12:08 > 0:12:10where they didn't before.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Sister Rita is determined that her dream will become a reality,
0:12:15 > 0:12:19although making it happen is unlikely to be quick or easy.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23But buoyed by the enthusiasm for the idea,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26she's heading over to the shops with the Lalley's new fundraiser Lorraine
0:12:26 > 0:12:29to take a closer look inside.
0:12:29 > 0:12:34Unfortunately, however, the man with the keys hasn't turned up.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37He'll be in the lion's den if he doesn't get over here quick!
0:12:37 > 0:12:41And Sister Rita doesn't like to be kept waiting.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44Can't wait here. Tell him I've loads to do. Hurry up!
0:12:46 > 0:12:51Hi. You told me you would phone me before you left the office.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54That's what you said. Did you do it?
0:12:54 > 0:12:56So whose fault it is that you're in there waiting for me?
0:12:56 > 0:12:58I was only five minutes.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Yourself! Yeah, but I'm all worked up about it.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03The shops are often targeted by vandals
0:13:03 > 0:13:06and have fallen into a state of disrepair
0:13:06 > 0:13:11but once finally inside, Sister Rita can still see plenty of potential.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Blimey, I can't believe this!
0:13:16 > 0:13:18This is unbelievable, isn't it?
0:13:19 > 0:13:22This is brilliant. Honestly!
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Look at this room here. You could have storage in here.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27It's absolutely brilliant.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30One possibility the nun particularly likes
0:13:30 > 0:13:33is to turn the space into a shop selling good-as-new items
0:13:33 > 0:13:36such as clothes and furniture, to local residents.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40This could be, you know, this could be the shop floor.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42I think this is brilliant.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45And she can't wait to share her ideas with Lorraine.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48First of all, you could have the children's clothes here,
0:13:48 > 0:13:52adults, men and women and have you seen the storage downstairs?
0:13:52 > 0:13:54No, but it's perfect.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Ah, it's unbelievable.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Though at this early stage, her plans have yet to obtain
0:13:59 > 0:14:03the Council's approval, Sister Rita is determined that it won't be
0:14:03 > 0:14:07long before the shop can once again open its doors to the community.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10At the end of the day, you know,
0:14:10 > 0:14:14the Council are a mighty volume of people who, you know,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17make decisions and who am I, well?
0:14:18 > 0:14:20I am Attila the Nun!
0:14:21 > 0:14:22I'll shift them!
0:14:26 > 0:14:29While she waits to see if this will prove a situation
0:14:29 > 0:14:31where she really can shift them,
0:14:31 > 0:14:35another of Sister Rita's big community projects, the allotment,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37is already providing new opportunities for local couple
0:14:37 > 0:14:41Kevin and Donna, who find themselves regulars at the food bank.
0:14:45 > 0:14:51The normal family in Collyhurst - lack of a job, a bit of poverty,
0:14:51 > 0:14:55a bit of debt, and a struggle, really.
0:14:55 > 0:15:00And Donna and Kevin would be that typical kind of a family.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03Donna has a number of medical problems which prevent her from
0:15:03 > 0:15:08working, including osteoarthritis of the spine and trapped nerves.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11It's stopped me from being a mum, stopped me from dressing my kids,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14washing them, feeding them.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18It's took me pride, me dignity away from me.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21I go to a pain management clinic
0:15:21 > 0:15:26and I've noticed that they've helped with the pain and anxiety.
0:15:26 > 0:15:31I'm grateful for what my doctor and the specialists are helping me with.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34D'you want some fruit?
0:15:34 > 0:15:37D'you want a banana? You grab this one.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Donna claims disability living allowance
0:15:40 > 0:15:42and the couple has come to rely on
0:15:42 > 0:15:45the Lalley Centre for some of their family's food.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49The money that we do get, that's for bills and then if we don't
0:15:49 > 0:15:53come here, we have to miss a bill to get food in for the kids.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56The very first time I came down to the food bank, I'll be honest and truthful with you,
0:15:56 > 0:16:00I was a bit embarrassed but...and then I thought to myself,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03why be embarrassed, because everybody that's coming here is in the same boat.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06But Sister Rita strongly believes that in the case of those who
0:16:06 > 0:16:11are long-term unemployed, like Donna and Kevin, finding something
0:16:11 > 0:16:15that inspires them to get back onto a more positive road is key,
0:16:15 > 0:16:19so she was delighted when Kevin revealed that ten years ago, he used
0:16:19 > 0:16:23to be a gardener and was interested in helping out at the allotment.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26It's absolutely wonderful that they're so interested.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28You know, you can't beat that, can you?
0:16:28 > 0:16:31You can't even buy it.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35And for Kevin, the focus he's got from volunteering at the allotment
0:16:35 > 0:16:36has an extra benefit.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39In the past, he's struggled with an addiction to alcohol,
0:16:39 > 0:16:41which has affected the whole family
0:16:41 > 0:16:46so being able to concentrate on his work here has been a huge help.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50So the Lalley Centre has really motivated me quite a lot
0:16:50 > 0:16:53and it's very, very enjoyable to be doing the work down there.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57So, yeah, the Lalley Centre has took all the rust off me.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00And I feel happier doing something like that. I'm helping somebody.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02I feel better within myself.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Do you want to put that bacon in the fridge?
0:17:04 > 0:17:06Despite Kevin's battles,
0:17:06 > 0:17:08the couple is determined to keep their family together
0:17:08 > 0:17:11and sow the seeds for a new life.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14I've been with Kevin now over 11 years.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17We've gone through rehab with Kevin twice.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22I had the two children there. Kevin couldn't come home and help me out.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24I've gone through hell and high water
0:17:24 > 0:17:27but we've always had to bounce back up.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31Cos there's no-one else going to be there to do it for me.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Got to be strong, got to have a strong will inside you.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39While Sister Rita's allotment has given Kevin the chance to
0:17:39 > 0:17:43renew a love of the land that has always been there,
0:17:43 > 0:17:44Donna's been surprised at how much
0:17:44 > 0:17:47she's enjoyed helping out there, too.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Give me some of that.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52For her, it's sparked more than just an interest and one that
0:17:52 > 0:17:54both Donna and Sister Rita hope
0:17:54 > 0:17:57could open up a whole new set of possibilities.
0:17:58 > 0:18:03What Donna and Kevin are doing at the allotment is exactly what we've set out to do.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06Donna went into this situation
0:18:06 > 0:18:11and she's just grown and blossomed
0:18:11 > 0:18:16and her, er, her knowledge of the allotment
0:18:16 > 0:18:19and her friendliness with people,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22so, you know, there's good times ahead for Donna.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26And Sister Rita's optimism isn't just confined to the allotment.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29She is also hopeful her plans to revive the local shops
0:18:29 > 0:18:33will prompt the same enthusiasm from visitors to the Lalley Centre.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Right, are you listening?
0:18:36 > 0:18:43If you are interested in helping with Eastford Square shops,
0:18:43 > 0:18:47then I want you to put your name here.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Sister Rita knows that to get her idea off the ground,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53she needs to have the community behind her.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56So she's interested in seeing what sort of businesses
0:18:56 > 0:18:58people say they'd most like to be part of.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00I would like you to put down
0:19:00 > 0:19:05which business you'd like to be involved in. Which shop.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08And with local residents very much at the heart of the project,
0:19:08 > 0:19:12Sister Rita's asked Lalley Centre fundraiser Lorraine
0:19:12 > 0:19:16to do some research into what they think of her plans.
0:19:16 > 0:19:21Basic ideas we got were like a greengrocery, bakery,
0:19:21 > 0:19:24second-hand shop. How do you feel about that?
0:19:24 > 0:19:27Well, there's not much in this area for the local community,
0:19:27 > 0:19:30- like the flats.- Exactly.- People that live around here.- Exactly.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34Convenience shops, they're all going to be handy for people.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38Bakeries, or whatever we have here is going to be handy for the local people.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40So locally, you have to go far.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44The older generation can't get into town much or even travel,
0:19:44 > 0:19:48so I think, you know, these shops would be brilliant for us.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50I think it would be great.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53Get this square up and running again.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57But no matter how impatient Sister Rita may be to forge ahead
0:19:57 > 0:20:01with her plans, she's about to get a reality check.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04The nun needs funding to pay for the running costs of the shops
0:20:04 > 0:20:08and that might not be as simple as Sister Rita hopes.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10So she's invited along Margot Power.
0:20:10 > 0:20:15Her work at the local resident-led community group Collyhurst Big Local
0:20:15 > 0:20:19has meant she's very experienced in funding applications like this
0:20:19 > 0:20:23and she hopes to pick her brains about how best to start.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25I think the most important thing that you need at the moment
0:20:25 > 0:20:27is some seed funding.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30That's a small pot of money that will be used
0:20:30 > 0:20:32to get your business plan written.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35The Council has earmarked the shops for demolition within two years
0:20:35 > 0:20:39as part of plans to regenerate the area.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Sister Rita had hoped to put them to good use for the whole of
0:20:42 > 0:20:46this period but Margot's keen to manage her expectations,
0:20:46 > 0:20:50as there are no guarantees the Council will agree.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54You are going to hit a brick wall unless you can establish
0:20:54 > 0:20:57a really detailed business case for these properties.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00The Council aren't going to hand them over to you.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03- They won't and I know that. - We're not trying to make money here. - I know.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05- We're trying to build a community. - It's nothing about making money.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08- It's nothing like that.- We're trying to make it easier...- I know.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12..for the people in Collyhurst who are struggling to buy things that they need.
0:21:12 > 0:21:13Yes, I know.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17Sister Rita has heard of an initiative called the Community Business Fund
0:21:17 > 0:21:19which is backed by Lottery cash
0:21:19 > 0:21:22and designed to support community-led projects
0:21:22 > 0:21:23across the country.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26And while Margot knows that applying for this kind of funding can
0:21:26 > 0:21:30take time to come to fruition, as far as the nun's concerned,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34that's just more time the shops are sitting empty.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37You won't get large-scale funding from anybody sooner than six months.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41So that means we can't do a dickybird for six months?
0:21:41 > 0:21:44No, it means that you need to develop a business plan
0:21:44 > 0:21:47and you could be putting all sorts of things in place.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50For Sister Rita, champing at the bit to crack on,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53none of this is what she wanted to hear.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56With any funding decision likely to take months rather than weeks,
0:21:56 > 0:22:00the plans for her biggest project yet face an uncertain future.
0:22:00 > 0:22:05Margot was a bit negative. She was trying to level me out.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09I don't like that, really. I want to be enthusiastic.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11I want to, you know, get places. I want to do things.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14I was just trying to play devil's advocate with Sister Rita,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16really, about the kind of challenges that are in place.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20You have lots of blips when you're trying to get things done
0:22:20 > 0:22:24and it does take energy out of you
0:22:24 > 0:22:26and that's a problem for me at my age,
0:22:26 > 0:22:29so I don't want anyone to be holding me back.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31I know it's not a very nice way to be, but,
0:22:31 > 0:22:32otherwise you get nothing done.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38As if one setback wasn't enough, a major obstacle has become apparent
0:22:38 > 0:22:42with Sister Rita's other new project - the allotment.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46The sun is shining, and Manchester is in the midst of a heatwave.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48But there's one big problem.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Water, or rather, the lack of it.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54- We've got a slight problem at the moment with water.- Water, I heard.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57We've not got quite as much available water as we'd like.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00The allotment has no water main.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02And whilst Sister Rita assumed that could be put right,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05the utility company says it can't install a new one
0:23:05 > 0:23:09because the land is only leased from the council for five years.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12It's news that hasn't gone down well.
0:23:13 > 0:23:18I got an e-mail last night, I saw it, actually, to say,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21"You can't do a water main for the allotment.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24"It's only a five-year lease."
0:23:24 > 0:23:27So, for five years, all the plants and vegetables
0:23:27 > 0:23:28have to die of thirst.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30That's it.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32'Tis the craziest thing I've ever heard of.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35How could you have an allotment without water?
0:23:38 > 0:23:40So, in her usual style,
0:23:40 > 0:23:43Sister Rita's soon on the phone to try and sort it out.
0:23:44 > 0:23:45Does he understand
0:23:45 > 0:23:49that it's impinging on us getting this allotment finished?
0:23:49 > 0:23:53Have you seen the allotment? It's ginormous, is the word.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56We need water on the allotment, so please can you phone me?
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Well, you're just gobsmacked, aren't you?
0:24:01 > 0:24:03I mean, where do you go from there?
0:24:03 > 0:24:06And you're thinking, "What on earth is happening here?
0:24:06 > 0:24:09"And what do we do next?"
0:24:09 > 0:24:12With the hot weather predicted to last for a couple of weeks,
0:24:12 > 0:24:16Sister Rita needs to find a solution to the water crisis, and fast.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19- Hello.- How are you, love? Delighted to see you.- Hello.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22- I'm stressed up to my eyeballs. - Why? You don't need to be stressed.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23I am, yeah. Come on.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26So she's asked community worker Peter,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29who's been involved in similar schemes in the past, for help.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32You need somewhere where a building or greenhouse,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35that actually when it rains, feeds that tank.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Cos if you think, over the winter, you'll fill it up,
0:24:37 > 0:24:41and then during the summer, you'll drain it and use it, you see.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Sister Rita has got her mind set on a water main
0:24:43 > 0:24:47as the best way of making sure the allotment thrives.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49But Peter wants to convince her
0:24:49 > 0:24:51that a more environmentally friendly solution,
0:24:51 > 0:24:55like water butts or containers, might be a decent alternative.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58But what we need to do is look at, like,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01getting a water butt or a larger water container on the polytunnel.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03You know, Manchester's renowned for rain,
0:25:03 > 0:25:05so it won't take long to fill up a water butt.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06Not so sure about that,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09we have had three or four weeks this summer without rain.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Yeah, but you'll be surprised how quickly they fill up,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14- and then you've got the actual water from there.- Yeah.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16You know, so I think that's the way you have to go.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20So would you actually say you could run an allotment this big
0:25:20 > 0:25:22without having a mains?
0:25:22 > 0:25:24- I'm not committing to that. - Well, no, neither am I.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26- I don't believe you. - Because it's a big allotment...
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Even if you said yes, I wouldn't believe you.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33Sister Rita will get the water situation sorted,
0:25:33 > 0:25:35she's quite a dynamic lady.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39What she does is, she uses terms like, "Oh, you're my expert,"
0:25:39 > 0:25:40and so she hooks you in.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Once she's hooked you in, you know, there's no escape.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46With the nun persuaded that water butts could be the answer,
0:25:46 > 0:25:48she asks Rebecca from Groundwork,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51the charity coordinating the allotment project,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54to arrange getting them delivered to the site.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57We've got a water butt, which is fantastic.
0:25:57 > 0:25:58We can get that filled up.
0:26:00 > 0:26:01But it may not be that easy.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Having checked the weather forecast, Rebecca is concerned
0:26:04 > 0:26:07there isn't going to be the rainwater they urgently need
0:26:07 > 0:26:09to fill the butts and look after the crops.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14If it doesn't rain over the weekend and it's hot,
0:26:14 > 0:26:15and it looks like this and it's dry,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18everything that we've done today is going to need watering.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21So Sister Rita springs into action
0:26:21 > 0:26:24rounding up the volunteers to carry water to the allotment.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30Plants in the polytunnel are dying for lack of water.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34Please, go out and get some water and just do them.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36Otherwise, they'll all die.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39You'll need a bucket or something to fill it up.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47You're not going up the steps with that.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51If you spill that on the floor - look at me! - you'll be dead.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55It's soon all hands on deck,
0:26:55 > 0:26:59to keep Sister Rita's hopes of the Lalley's first-ever harvest alive.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03It's a great relief, and it's brilliant,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06that all the volunteers came together to help.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09But that's a temporary arrangement,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12and we really do need to get water for the allotment
0:27:12 > 0:27:14as soon as we possibly can.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16There's a lot of work, another mountain to climb,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19but we'll climb it, and we'll get water.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Two volunteers, undeterred by the water crisis,
0:27:23 > 0:27:25are Donna and Kevin.
0:27:25 > 0:27:26Can we not swap these ones out?
0:27:28 > 0:27:30After months of hard work at the allotment,
0:27:30 > 0:27:32they're now starting to see the fruits of their labour.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37This is the potatoes that we've earthed up at the moment.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41These are only new potatoes, so they stay small anyway.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43It'll be good to get potatoes in the food bank.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47Because it's extra food for them, isn't it?
0:27:48 > 0:27:52Kevin's knowledge and experience has been a great help to Rebecca.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56But she's noticed that Donna has got the gardening bug, too,
0:27:56 > 0:27:58so she hopes to get her even more involved
0:27:58 > 0:28:00as the allotment progresses.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03It's been fantastic to see Donna coming down,
0:28:03 > 0:28:07she's really been inspired by working on the allotment.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09She's really taken it, kind of...
0:28:09 > 0:28:11almost under her wing, if you like.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Sister Rita had always hoped the allotment would encourage
0:28:18 > 0:28:20visitors to the Lalley, like Donna and Kevin,
0:28:20 > 0:28:24to get involved in a community project, and, at the same time,
0:28:24 > 0:28:27learn new skills to boost not only their confidence,
0:28:27 > 0:28:30but also perhaps their future job prospects.
0:28:34 > 0:28:39Like Donna, one in nine adults in Britain have no qualifications.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43She initially volunteered at the allotment to support her partner Kevin,
0:28:43 > 0:28:45and, having been advised to take up light exercise
0:28:45 > 0:28:48to help manage her pain from osteoarthritis,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51she can't believe how much she's got out of it.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55So much so that she's now keen to explore any further
0:28:55 > 0:28:58gardening opportunities which might be open to her.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02I want to make a better life for me and the kids,
0:29:02 > 0:29:07get off the dole and support the kids and myself.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11Hopefully, if I go down the right road,
0:29:11 > 0:29:13and not turn back,
0:29:13 > 0:29:16I can keep going and get somewhere.
0:29:16 > 0:29:17Make a change.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20But it's one step at a time for Donna.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22And before she can even think about work,
0:29:22 > 0:29:25she wants to explore getting some qualifications.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29So Sister Rita has suggested she visit the Lalley Centre's
0:29:29 > 0:29:33weekly job club, run with local charity 4CT,
0:29:33 > 0:29:36and set up to provide assistance and encouragement
0:29:36 > 0:29:38to those looking for work and training.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41And manager Mark is hoping to find a horticultural course
0:29:41 > 0:29:44that could develop Donna's new-found gardening skills.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47No problem. Let's have a look on there, Donna,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50and see what's available there for you.
0:29:50 > 0:29:55So, yeah, they're doing a course on a Friday between 12:30 and 6.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58- There's another one, Hopwood Hall. - What's that?
0:29:58 > 0:30:00- Hopwood Hall College. - I've heard of that.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02They've got their open day next Thursday.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05It's just hard because I haven't got, like,
0:30:05 > 0:30:07CVs and stuff, you know...
0:30:07 > 0:30:09- I can help you with CVs and stuff. - Right.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12The main thing, they'll want to know about your interest.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15For a course like this, they want to know, why do you want to do it,
0:30:15 > 0:30:17what is it you like about being in the garden,
0:30:17 > 0:30:19getting your hands dirty, all those kinds of things?
0:30:19 > 0:30:22- Great. Thank you very much.- Happy with that?- Thank you.- Fantastic.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26Booking a place on the college open day is a huge step for Donna,
0:30:26 > 0:30:30and one, when she began volunteering at the allotment five months ago,
0:30:30 > 0:30:32she never imagined she'd take.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35Right. Do I need to give you my details or anything,
0:30:35 > 0:30:36or do I just turn up?
0:30:36 > 0:30:39That's great. Thank you very much, love.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41It's up to me, now, isn't it?
0:30:41 > 0:30:43To get the ball rolling.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45But I'm buzzing with that.
0:30:45 > 0:30:46With her place booked,
0:30:46 > 0:30:49she can't wait to share the good news with Sister Rita.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52Right, I have to say, Donna, you know,
0:30:52 > 0:30:55I'm really impressed with you down at the allotment.
0:30:55 > 0:31:00I just think that you've got it, you know, you've really got it.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02And, therefore, this would do a lot to help you
0:31:02 > 0:31:05enhance your knowledge and help us.
0:31:05 > 0:31:06So that's really good news.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08Yeah, I do enjoy going down there.
0:31:08 > 0:31:09Yeah.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11Thank you, Sister.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15Watching Donna muck in so eagerly has only confirmed to Sister Rita
0:31:15 > 0:31:19what a vital role the allotment could play in the wider community.
0:31:19 > 0:31:24More and more, it's becoming evident that people want to do this.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27They want to eat what they've grown.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30So, with the allotment,
0:31:30 > 0:31:34there is that little bit of education going on
0:31:34 > 0:31:37that starts very small. But, you know,
0:31:37 > 0:31:40something that you start very small can take possession quite quickly,
0:31:40 > 0:31:45and to actually encourage them to think,
0:31:45 > 0:31:47"Wow, this is good," you know?
0:31:47 > 0:31:50The sun rarely shines in Manchester for too long,
0:31:50 > 0:31:52and the short-lived drought
0:31:52 > 0:31:54is quickly forgotten with a deluge of rain.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56And, while that's great timing for the allotment,
0:31:56 > 0:32:00it could put a disastrous dampener on Sister Rita's latest attempt
0:32:00 > 0:32:02at raising funds for the Lalley.
0:32:03 > 0:32:09This Saturday, I want to see every single one of you
0:32:09 > 0:32:15at the Toys And Stuff summer fair.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18I'm telling you this, there's wonderful, wonderful bargains.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22Sister Rita and her team are hoping that an event
0:32:22 > 0:32:25selling donated toys and other items to local families
0:32:25 > 0:32:28will raise some much-needed cash,
0:32:28 > 0:32:30and put a smile on the visitors' faces.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34But when they open the doors, all that greets them is the rain.
0:32:34 > 0:32:35There's nobody there.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40I'll be lucky to raise £100,
0:32:40 > 0:32:43the way it's turned out, with the rain and everything else.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45But we'll just take it, you know. Play it by ear.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48Sometimes people come, sometimes they don't.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50And it's too early yet.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53Even for a nun like Sister Rita, there's quite a mountain to climb
0:32:53 > 0:32:55if this fundraiser is going to be a success.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59But with the wet weather showing no signs of stopping,
0:32:59 > 0:33:01she knows she'll really have to roll her sleeves up
0:33:01 > 0:33:05to squeeze as much profit as she can from the day's activities.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10All the way up here, brand-new toys.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12T-shirts for £1.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14T-shirts for £1.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16Well, there's five for £1, or 20p.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18Another sale.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21£3. In the bag.
0:33:21 > 0:33:22This seems to be going quite well,
0:33:22 > 0:33:24considering there's only a few in at the minute.
0:33:24 > 0:33:25About £60 there, up to now.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31After a slow start, the sale raises just over £300.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34Some way short of the expected total,
0:33:34 > 0:33:36but nothing rains on Sister Rita's parade,
0:33:36 > 0:33:40and, as ever, she has another plan up her sleeve.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43The school she's held the sale at, in the same building as the Lalley,
0:33:43 > 0:33:46has agreed to let her keep the stalls open all week,
0:33:46 > 0:33:50so that parents and their children can snap up the remaining items
0:33:50 > 0:33:52before and after the school day.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55That's OK, because now the head teacher's going to
0:33:55 > 0:33:57keep it open every day next week.
0:33:57 > 0:34:02Parents will come in and they will be able to buy whatever is there.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04The anxiety is kind of...
0:34:04 > 0:34:05it's OK, now.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07For Sister Rita and her team,
0:34:07 > 0:34:12it's vital sales like this one can maximise as much money as possible,
0:34:12 > 0:34:14to help keep the Lalley's doors open.
0:34:16 > 0:34:17You know, in life,
0:34:17 > 0:34:20we have situations like this.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23You know, you're struggling uphill, you're struggling up,
0:34:23 > 0:34:25and you think you'll never get to the top!
0:34:25 > 0:34:28And then, suddenly, you do.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32And we're not going to give up. We will plod on.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34Yahoo!
0:34:34 > 0:34:35APPLAUSE
0:34:35 > 0:34:37There you are.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41Away from the Lalley,
0:34:41 > 0:34:45Donna's heading to the open day at a local further education college.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48She's hoping it will help her make her first steps into employment.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52I want to get more skills,
0:34:52 > 0:34:54and, hopefully, get a job out of it.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58Andy Dawson from the college is on hand to give her the grand tour.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01Look at the colours in that.
0:35:02 > 0:35:03It's beautiful.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07What other courses do you do, like, in levels?
0:35:07 > 0:35:11- Right, we do the City And Guilds, cos it's industry recognised.- Right.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14- We try and get as much practical as we possibly can.- Yeah.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16Cos you've got to get your hands dirty,
0:35:16 > 0:35:18as part of the allotment.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22And Donna's willingness to get her hands dirty at the allotment
0:35:22 > 0:35:23has left Andy impressed.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25Oh, I'll take you home.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28So that's the list of everything for you, with the units.
0:35:28 > 0:35:29Thank you very much.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32Obviously, you're enthusiastic, very keen,
0:35:32 > 0:35:36and I would have no problem in offering you a place
0:35:36 > 0:35:38on the Level I or Level II.
0:35:38 > 0:35:39Right, thank you very much.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43Completing a qualification like this one will give Donna the experience
0:35:43 > 0:35:47she needs to pursue a potential career in horticulture.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49As she is currently unemployed and claiming benefits,
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Donna can sign up for the Level I course for free,
0:35:52 > 0:35:55as she's an adult learner and over 24 years old.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59She's bowled over by this unexpected but life-changing opportunity.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01Size of that!
0:36:03 > 0:36:05I want to do something different.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07I want to learn more.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11That allotment's got me green fingers tickling, now. I love it.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14I can't wait to come here.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16I will, I'll be here twice a week.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19It's just fascinating, this place.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Donna's got a tremendous amount of life.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27And she's got ambitions,
0:36:27 > 0:36:31which I think is wonderful to see in a young woman.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33She's going places, her.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34She is going to get a job.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37She wants to do horticulture.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39And that is, to me, music, really.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44Seeing the fortunes of visitors to the Lalley improve
0:36:44 > 0:36:46will always delight Sister Rita.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48But she's still determined to bring about change
0:36:48 > 0:36:50to Collyhurst as a whole.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56And she's not given up on her plans for the row of shops
0:36:56 > 0:36:58next to the food bank on Eastford Square,
0:36:58 > 0:37:03even if being without both the necessary funding and a viable business plan
0:37:03 > 0:37:06makes that seem an almost insurmountable challenge.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12I always bite off more than I can chew
0:37:12 > 0:37:14when I'm doing any project. Always.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18I always start it without money.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22I know this is very dangerous and I know that,
0:37:22 > 0:37:24and they tell me that all the time.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27And my answer is, well, then, you'd never do it.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29Because you're not going to get the money.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32But if you do it, you will get the money.
0:37:32 > 0:37:33That's how I see it.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39But just when her latest idea appeared to have hit a brick wall,
0:37:39 > 0:37:43a first-time visitor to the Lalley throws the project a lifeline.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48When commercial property lawyer Gisella Alberici
0:37:48 > 0:37:51called in to deliver a donation on behalf of her family,
0:37:51 > 0:37:55the eagle-eyed nun immediately spotted an opportunity
0:37:55 > 0:37:59and roped her into helping get her plans for the shops back on track.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01She is somebody you can't say no to,
0:38:01 > 0:38:03because she's got such force and drive.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09So when somebody comes in with, like, an expertise,
0:38:09 > 0:38:11I just think I've struck gold.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13And I want them on the team.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17Well, you can't buy them, but the good news is,
0:38:17 > 0:38:19we don't even have to buy them because they come voluntarily.
0:38:21 > 0:38:22Beat that, if you can.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26With Gisella more than happy to volunteer her legal skills,
0:38:26 > 0:38:30for the first time, it feels like Sister Rita's plans
0:38:30 > 0:38:33for the shops might be more than just a pipe dream.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35It's a big project, but the more you look at it,
0:38:35 > 0:38:37the more you think about it,
0:38:37 > 0:38:41with all the support and help from the community, the volunteers,
0:38:41 > 0:38:44obviously, there's an awful lot of love here for Sister Rita
0:38:44 > 0:38:45and what she does.
0:38:45 > 0:38:50It's very deliverable, but it's very deliverable in chunks.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52So you've got to open one shop at a time.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55Having been asked by sister Rita to find someone who could
0:38:55 > 0:38:58put together a sound business plan to present to the council,
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Gisella's got the very man for the job,
0:39:01 > 0:39:04and brings community development worker Steve Conway
0:39:04 > 0:39:05down to the site.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09- This is Steve, who...- Hello, Steve. - Good morning, again.
0:39:09 > 0:39:10- Welcome.- You all right?
0:39:10 > 0:39:12You're going to write a business plan for us? He is.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14Well, we'll see what we can do, eh?
0:39:14 > 0:39:17Steve specialises in helping charities like the Lalley Centre
0:39:17 > 0:39:19get community projects off the ground,
0:39:19 > 0:39:22and make sure they're run in a safe, sustainable way.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25This is about saying, "If we're going to do this,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27"we're an organisation that CAN do it,
0:39:27 > 0:39:29"we can do it safely, we can do it legally,
0:39:29 > 0:39:31"we're not going to expose the community to risk."
0:39:31 > 0:39:33You know, so, "This is going to be managed properly,
0:39:33 > 0:39:34"this is going to be led properly,
0:39:34 > 0:39:37"and this is going to have the effects that we want it to have.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41- "Because we've got the team in place that can do it."- Got it.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43Most of the shops have been empty for some time.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47So Sister Rita wants to know what Steve thinks she needs to do
0:39:47 > 0:39:49to ensure they're safe to open the doors.
0:39:51 > 0:39:56- Just in terms of thinking about the units themselves...- Yeah?
0:39:56 > 0:39:59Are you talking about going, one, two, three, four,
0:39:59 > 0:40:00- or are you thinking about...?- No.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04We're picking out the ones that need nothing doing to them.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08And this is where it comes back down to this idea of trying to get
0:40:08 > 0:40:11a pro bono survey of the internal fabric,
0:40:11 > 0:40:14- because what looks good, might not be good.- Right, OK.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17If Steve is able to help Sister Rita sort a structural survey,
0:40:17 > 0:40:21she'll know what can realistically be achieved for the whole block,
0:40:21 > 0:40:25and, best of all, identify which shops she should target first.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29- Before you make any choices, get the survey.- We're on it!
0:40:29 > 0:40:31Sister Rita's a little dynamo.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33She really is.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Very determined, very, very driven,
0:40:36 > 0:40:38and very clear ideas about what she wants to do.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40I think it's a brilliant little idea, really do.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42You know, we've got a few weeks to spend on this,
0:40:42 > 0:40:45we'll be able to put the ideas the Lalley have down into
0:40:45 > 0:40:49something which the council will be able to understand,
0:40:49 > 0:40:52review, make a decision on and, hopefully, as a result of which,
0:40:52 > 0:40:56give them short-term licences to occupy the shops.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59Finally, when some were starting to think it wasn't going to be
0:40:59 > 0:41:03possible, Sister Rita has found two people who firmly believe
0:41:03 > 0:41:06in her vision to transform Eastford Square.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08Although the hard work is just beginning,
0:41:08 > 0:41:12her dream of revitalising the shops to bring the community together
0:41:12 > 0:41:16and provide new opportunities for local residents
0:41:16 > 0:41:18appears one step closer to reality,
0:41:18 > 0:41:22with the Lalley Centre visitors behind her every step of the way.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28The shops are very important to the people that live round about,
0:41:28 > 0:41:29especially the elderly.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31If we have a bit of everything, then everyone'll, like,
0:41:31 > 0:41:33class it as the local shops.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35She is determined. She's driven.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39And she usually does succeed in the end.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Other people would give up by now, you know, but she hasn't.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Yes, she's just a very, very special lady.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47She's an inspiration to all of us.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50It seems Sister Rita's projects are on a roll
0:41:50 > 0:41:53because there's been a big new development at the allotment, too.
0:41:53 > 0:41:57The nun's hopes of growing fresh produce to supply the food bank
0:41:57 > 0:41:59have truly come to fruition,
0:41:59 > 0:42:02with the first crops arriving on the shelves.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05We are going over to the food bank,
0:42:05 > 0:42:11to see all the lettuces they've picked from the allotment,
0:42:11 > 0:42:14and I think a lot of the people will have got some.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16Isn't that wonderful?
0:42:16 > 0:42:18So they can try a bit of both.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20It's the freshness of smelling them.
0:42:20 > 0:42:21They're gorgeous!
0:42:21 > 0:42:26I have never seen anyone so excited as Donna
0:42:26 > 0:42:30when we had the first lettuces.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33But the joy in her heart,
0:42:33 > 0:42:35and the joy on her face,
0:42:35 > 0:42:36and the joy in her voice,
0:42:36 > 0:42:39was worth thousands.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43And the people, they were delighted that for the first time since
0:42:43 > 0:42:49we opened the Lalley Centre, we had produce from our own allotment.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52Right, come on now. No messing.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55This is fresh lettuce from the allotment.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59Don't forget to wash them. OK?
0:42:59 > 0:43:03Sister Rita is a firm believer that you only get out of things
0:43:03 > 0:43:04what you put in.
0:43:04 > 0:43:08So, as she celebrates where the team's efforts have got them so far,
0:43:08 > 0:43:11she's already thinking about how to ensure that home-grown produce
0:43:11 > 0:43:13becomes a familiar sight at the food bank.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17This is what the allotment is all about.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19Fresh produce, every week,
0:43:19 > 0:43:21to put into the food bank,
0:43:21 > 0:43:23so we're very happy about it.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25And it'll...
0:43:25 > 0:43:27There'll be more coming in, really,
0:43:27 > 0:43:29as soon as the crop begins to grow,
0:43:29 > 0:43:32there will be different vegetables coming in.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35So, that's a great achievement for the Lalley Centre.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38And we still hope to go further than that,
0:43:38 > 0:43:41and maybe the fruits we will get as well.
0:43:41 > 0:43:43So, it'll take time, but it will happen.
0:43:45 > 0:43:46Next time...
0:43:46 > 0:43:49Sister Rita helps a man tackle big problems with debt...
0:43:49 > 0:43:54What you must not do is not be able to feed yourself,
0:43:54 > 0:43:55and not have electricity.
0:43:55 > 0:43:59..and, as the nun makes it her mission to show it is possible
0:43:59 > 0:44:01to eat well on a budget...
0:44:01 > 0:44:04Turkey burgers. Ooh, isn't that gorgeous?
0:44:04 > 0:44:07..she launches a cookery course to help locals make the most
0:44:07 > 0:44:09of what they get from the food bank.
0:44:09 > 0:44:13Those people here who are determined to learn to how to cook,
0:44:13 > 0:44:15they are making a difference to their families.
0:44:17 > 0:44:19And I think that that's wonderful.