Fun and games at Stanhope in Ashford, Kent

Fun and games at Stanhope in Ashford, Kent

On the evening of Wednesday 10 March, Stanhope residents of all ages met for a games night, organised by the Stanhope Tenants’ and Residents’ Association (STARA) and Moat.

STARA members planned the games night to build on the already strong community spirit at Stanhope and to encourage more people to get involved with their community in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Residents enjoyed playing favourite games including cards, dominoes and Connect 4 with their friends and neighbours. Moat also provided a Nintendo Wii and attendees tried their hand at the various sports and fitness games on the console.

Chris Ireland, Chair of STARA, says; “We’ve had a really good night and the kids definitely enjoyed playing on the Wii! We mainly had younger residents here tonight but I hope that if we organise events like this more often we can encourage more adults to come along. It’s a great way to catch up with neighbours, make new friends and break down barriers between generations.”

Jan Henry, Moat’s community development officer, says; “It’s so important that people get involved with the issues affecting their neighbourhoods. We are always happy to help with organising events which promote community involvement. This games night was the perfect opportunity for residents to get to know one another and find out about the opportunities for them to make a difference at Stanhope.”

The Stanhope neighbourhood is undergoing a £150 million regeneration after a 30-year PFI contract was signed with Ashford Borough Council in 2007. The Chrysalis consortium comprises Gleeson Capital Solutions, Nationwide Commercial and Moat. The contractors for new build / refurbishment are Denne Construction, part of the Leadbitter Group, and for repairs and maintenance are Powerminster Gleeson Services.

By 2012, this massive regeneration project will see the refurbishment of 323 homes and the replacement of seven blocks of apartments with 442 new high quality homes. Seventy percent of these (309 homes) will be available for rent or shared ownership through Moat, while thirty per cent (133 homes) will be for sale on the open market through Gleeson Homes & Regeneration South.

About Moat:
Moat is a housing association providing affordable homes in thriving communities for people in the South East. For over forty years, Moat has delivered high quality general needs homes for affordable rent, supported accommodation and tenancy support services, and has a strong affordable home ownership offer. Follow us on www.twitter.com/HomeBuyUK.

Moat is one of the Homes and Communities Agency’s development partners and is also the government’s appointed HomeBuy Agent in Essex, Kent and Sussex. Employing 450 people, Moat provides excellent customer service to residents of our 20,000 affordable rented and shared ownership homes.
www.moat.co.uk