If you would like to tell others about schemes and projects that have been successful for you and your community please contact your community initiatives manager/officer listed below through the Housing Services Centre by email hsc@raglan.org or call 0845 070 7772

Midlands or East - Anne Phillips
South East - Anthony Nicholas
South - Helen Jones
Thames Valley or West - Mike Quarry

Here are just some residents' comments about being involved either individually or as part of an organised residents' initiative:

Roisen Conlon, Cliff Residents' Association
on 'Together It's your Call' - 24hr anti-social behaviour hot line.

"The former national director of the government's anti-social behaviour unit, Louise Casey, visited our Raglan scheme in Woolston, Southampton in March to launch, with residents, the new 'Together It's Your Call' action line. The telephone line provides a service for local people to report acts of vandalism, nuisance neighbours or graffiti 24 hours a day.

Louise Casey was very interested in hearing how we, as residents, have overcome some of the problems to do with anti-social behaviour, such as starting a residents' group and being involved in rubbish amnesty days. We have had the support of our [now former] community initiatives officer Guy Stovold, our local housing officer Chris Groves and the Southampton City Council anti-social behaviour team, along with our local police officer."

Louise Casey agreed that this is about making people less tolerant of anti-social behaviour and helping to do something to stop it. As residents, we are now feeling hopeful that we are finally getting somewhere."

Angela Suttey on being an Elected Spokesperson

When Angela Suttey moved to a Raglan scheme in 1996, she didn't realise just what she could offer her community. A mother of six, Angela has plenty on her plate, but when she was approached by other residents to become an elected spokesperson, she was happy to get involved.

"I'm a point of contact for people - though most of the residents pop in anyway for a cup of tea! I have a meeting with Guy Stovold [former CIO] every month to six weeks, and Sue (housing officer) usually comes along too. We discuss what needs doing, and how we're going to go about doing it. If I need to speak to either of them, I just phone up the helpline, and Guy or Sue will phone me back usually within an hour, which is very good."

Lee Keohane, on being an Elected Spokesperson

Just after moving in to my flat at Gouldsbrook View, Crewkerne I saw that someone needed to be the frontman voicing opinions directly to Raglan. It was clear to see that there was various problems on the estate that needed sorting!

It seemed that there was no one willing to put pen to paper to get things sorted particularly parking and rubbish issues. I am determined to make this estate a clean and respectful one and Raglan needed a person here to keep an eye on things.

People on the estate need to be kept informed of improvements so we send round a quarterly newsletter after each meeting between Owen (community initiatives officer) and me. This shows that we do care and are trying.