Upper Charminster Community Action Group · BournemouthResident-led. Action-focused. Since 2019.Join our Facebook community ↗

Home / Our projects and priorities

Upper Charminster Community Action Group

Projects that make
things happen.

From emergency equipment and community safety to heritage, public spaces and local decision-making, here is what UCCAG is doing — and what is still being developed.

Current project · awaiting installation

Two community defibrillator sites

UCCAG has arranged two AED cabinets, each alongside a bleed-control kit, to strengthen community emergency preparedness. The installation sites are agreed, but the equipment is awaiting installation and is not yet available for public emergency use. Exact locations will be announced when ready for launch.

AED and bleed-control cabinet organised by UCCAG

UCCAG will publish an update when the equipment is installed and accessible. In a life-threatening emergency, always call 999.

Funded neighbourhood safety initiative

Community Guardians

Community Guardians is our shorter public-facing name for the Community Guardians & Safety Reset initiative described in our project submission. The initiative is supported by the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner's Operation Relentless Community Fund.

The work brings together visible, approachable community participation, engagement with residents and businesses, and practical care of streets and shared spaces. Community Guardians are about reassurance, engagement, observation and appropriate reporting — not enforcement.

Local people taking part in community action

Learn about Community Guardians and community safety ↗

Current campaign · access and management

Wimborne Road Cemetery: reopening access

Wimborne Road Cemetery is a Grade II registered historic park and garden, a place of remembrance, a valued green space and a community asset. UCCAG is calling for its entrances to reopen so residents can enjoy free public access as before.

Tree-lined avenue through Wimborne Road Cemetery

Following a recent meeting, local councillors have informed UCCAG of plans for a trial Saturday gate opening. No date or practical arrangements have yet been confirmed. Please do not rely on the gates being open until an official update is issued.

Our wider aim is a developed, coordinated plan for access, management and care. We are also exploring guided heritage walks, subject to the necessary arrangements.

Protecting the Russell-Cotes mausoleum

After damage to the mausoleum doors, UCCAG campaigned for repairs and worked in conjunction with BCP Council. The repairs have now been completed, helping safeguard the monument.

Russell-Cotes mausoleum front and repaired doors

Heritage interpretation boards: funding has been agreed for information boards to help visitors understand the cemetery’s history. Designs and delivery arrangements are still to be confirmed.

Community · established and active

Building a stronger local community

Started by residents around 2019/20 and formally constituted on 10 March 2021, UCCAG has created an organised voice for Upper Charminster.

Our residents’ network connects neighbours, businesses, councillors and public services. UCCAG has organised an engagement event at the tram shelter (around 60 attendees), supported police community contact points outside Tesco Express, organised community litter picks and built relationships to champion local improvements.

Residents of different ages taking part in a community litter pick
Representation · ongoing

Influencing local decisions

UCCAG works to ensure Upper Charminster is represented when councils, statutory services, elected representatives and other organisations make decisions about community safety, public spaces and neighbourhood regeneration.

Through meetings, resident engagement, formal processes and partnership discussions, we seek practical responses and long-term investment. We want residents' experiences and ideas to influence what happens locally, not simply to be noted.

Independent businesses and daily life along Charminster Road
Community participation · ongoing

Cleaner, greener streets

Community litter picks have brought residents of all ages together, alongside councillors and other partners. We also work for the regeneration and care of Charminster Road, local streets, pavements, shared spaces and green areas — not just the cemetery.

Community litter pick volunteers at Wimborne Road Cemetery

Further ideas include seasonal planting, improvements to street furniture and opportunities for residents and schools to care for shared spaces. Proposals will develop according to local priorities and available resources.

Heritage · completed steps and further plans

The historic tram shelter

At the junction of Iddesleigh Road and Charminster Road, the shelter is a distinctive local landmark. UCCAG encouraged initial restoration work in 2021 and organised its latest repaint in 2026. Additional improvements are moving through the group's developed project plan.

Historic tram shelter newly repainted in green and gold

See the interactive photograph timeline on the homepage to explore how the shelter has changed over time.

Developing activity · not scheduled

Heritage walks and emergency aid awareness

UCCAG is looking at the potential for guided cemetery walks, sessions sharing local heritage, and practical awareness around emergency aid and safety equipment. These ideas are subject to permissions, access, volunteers and other arrangements; dates have not been announced.

Tell us if you would be interested in getting involved — your choices help us understand demand and plan useful events.

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