Accent Nene helps sheltered housing residents celebrate silver jubilee in style

Residents at the Cotton End sheltered housing scheme in Bretton, Peterborough, have been celebrating.  It is 25 years since it opened its doors to residents back in 1983.

Current residents were delighted when staff from Accent Nene, the Peterborough housing association which manages the scheme, put on an afternoon of entertainment to mark the scheme's silver jubilee.

Staff from Accent Nene, including chairman Cliff Walker and managing director Andrew Williams, spent the afternoon at Cotton End to help the residents celebrate the milestone. Residents were provided with a buffet lunch, cake and entertainment.

Peterborough mayor Pat Nash, mayoress Trudie Meadows along with councillors Wayne Fitzgerald and Darren Morley attended the day as guests of honour. 

As part of the entertainment local young musician Crawford Johnston played piano and saxophone.  Crawford is a regular visitor to Cotton End as part of an ongoing plan to engage residents with young people and the local community.

Musical residents from Accent Nene's Eaglethorpe sheltered scheme, Fred and Vera, also provided music and entertainment.  Vera sang traditional tunes, accompanied by Fred on the accordion, which had residents singing along and dancing.

A presentation of flowers was made by Pat Nash to Cotton End resident Ellen Fagioli in honour of all the volunteer work that she carries out at the scheme.  The mayor also made floral presentations to the scheme's longest standing resident Lilly Reeks, to the scheme's eldest resident Louise Meadows and to scheme manager Simone Baiko.

In return, Cotton End residents presented the deputy mayor with a cheque for £50 raised from social club funds for mayoral charities.

"The residents thoroughly enjoyed the buffet and the entertainment provided by the staff," said Accent Nene chairman Cliff Walker.  "Congratulations to everyone at Cotton End for reaching this milestone and I wish them every success for the next 25 years." 

Cotton End resident Ron Bullock, who assisted in organising the event, added: "I would like to thank Accent Nene for all its hard work in putting on this very successful party on behalf of all the residents at Cotton End.  It was a great day and we all enjoyed ourselves. 

"Thanks too to Crawford and Fred and Vera who were very entertaining.  As well as enjoying ourselves we even managed to raise a little to go towards the mayor's charities."