Bridgwater home improvement partners help tenants overcome a rubbish problem

The partners working together on home repairs and improvements in Bridgwater has come together to ensure that the annual carnival is not seen to be ‘a load of rubbish’ by local residents.

After consulting with local residents on how to help improve their immediate environment, staff from Homes in Sedgemoor and Connaught Partnerships Ltd gave up their time to collect 35 bags of litter left behind on the Sydenham Estate by the recent Bridgwater Carnival.

Sam Westcott, Connaught liaison officer, explained the reasons for the litter pick: “At recent Sydenham Tenants and Residents Association (STAR) and Partnering and Communities Together (PACT) meetings, local residents voiced their concerns about the amount of litter left behind by the recent Bridgwater Carnival. Obviously the carnival is a much-loved annual event and is great fun for all the family and we decided to come together to ensure the litter left behind didn’t cause too much inconvenience for local people.”

Homes in Sedgemoor staff, students and teachers from nearby Sedgemoor Manor Infants School and local PCSOs also joined in with the ‘litter blitz’ of Sydenham Road, Parkway and Farifax Road to make the operation a real community effort. Sam continued: “To see all the groups come together to make a difference was extremely satisfying and the litter pick helped to create a great atmosphere between the various organisations whilst helping to improve the local environment.”

Homes in Sedgemoor and Connaught are working in partnership on a five year contract to bring reactive repairs, voids improvements and heating installations as well as Decent Homes improvements to properties in the area.