Last weekend the community at City Park West in Chelmsford got together for a summer family fun day.
The sun was shining, and we were treated to music from The Pantasy steel band, as well as food stalls, games and ice cream. Essex County Fire and Rescue service came along with their fire engine for the children to explore, while players from Chelmsford City football club put on fun activities for the kids.
City Park West is one of our larger multi tenure estates where the new NHG Places model is in operation. This means an estate manager and estate coordinator work in tandem with local officers to ensure its run in a holistic and tenure-blind way that meets the needs of residents and the local community.
There was a steady flow of residents enjoying the festivities. I got talking to one, who lives in Freeman Court, our supported housing block. He told me that he likes living there because he has the best of both worlds, a flat with a kitchen where he can keep his independence but also has a meal cooked for him once a day and a carer to help him when he needs it.
The resident involvement team were on hand to discuss involvement opportunities and promote their new Community Culture Fund, giving residents the chance to apply for up to £250 of funding to celebrate diversity in their community through events like these.
Another resident told me her and her family had lived at City Park West for around seven months. They love how convenient everything is, with Chelmsford town centre and the park on their doorstep. They were really impressed that we put on events like this for residents and signed up to get more involved.
It was really great to see residents mixing together in a social environment.
