Rayners Lane hosts ‘Summer @ The Beacon’ showcase for eighth year running

Published by Debbie Pack for Home Group in Housing and also in Communities, Education

Over 150 young residents took part in ‘Summer @ The Beacon’ recently held at the Beacon centre in the heart of Rayners Lane estate, Harrow.

To mark the end of the ‘Summer @ The Beacon’ programme a Fun Day was hosted to bring every one together and help promote other services and activities available at the Beacon all year round. Some young participants also showcased new skills they learnt at the ‘Summer @ The Beacon’ workshops. 

‘Summer @ The Beacon’ is a five week summer holiday programme held every year at Rayners Lane. This year Home Group worked in partnership with Harrow Council, Watford Football Club and the Safer Neighbourhoods Team to provide a full programme of activities, which included; workshops in fashion re-styling, Funky Urban Fusion Dance, pool coaching, cricket, trampolining, manga art illustration, sculpture making, IT online sessions and a lot more.

Kickz sports activities were also available including Football and Cricket. 

‘Summer @ The Beacon’ is aimed at young people who live locally aged between 11-21 (those with disabilities can join up to the age of 25).

Fun Day activities included: a ‘Funky Urban Fusion Dance Workshop’, a Fashion Show, Kickz Sport Tournament, Internet Café, Bingo, Jewellery Sweet Making, Food and Refreshments, all free.

Amongst those attending included; family and friends of all ‘Summer @ The Beacon’ participants, residents, Home staff, RLETRA and representatives from local organisations, including Harrow Council and the Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

Julie Webb, Interim Customer Services Director for Home, says: “We are delighted that our Summer Action continues to be such a success at Rayners Lane. 

“In the eight years Summer Action has been running, it has really helped to create a community spirit at Rayners Lane. It is an excellent way to engage young people, stop them getting bored during long school holidays and involve them in new experiences. 

“Community events are an important part of the regeneration process which is transforming Rayners Lane.  We are three quarters of the way through the development now and the estate is looking fantastic!”

The initiative was also supported by Willmott Dixon, Rayners Lane Estate Tenants & Residents Association (RLETRA), and Monitor Services.

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For more information about Home’s ongoing regeneration work at Rayners Lane contact Debbie Pack, PR Officer for Home south on 020 8582 2203 or 07985 339551 email: debbie.pack@homegroup.org.uk

Home’s regeneration work at Rayners Lane

Home took over management of Rayners Lane Estate – the largest in the London Borough of Harrow – in 2002.  Work began in 2003.  There has been close consultation between residents, MEPK architects and Willmott Dixon building contractors 

539 flats and maisonettes in poor repair are being demolished and replaced with a mixture of 474 houses with gardens and flats with balconies. A further 44 homes have also been refurbished. Home is also building 301 properties for private sale and 17 properties for shared ownership making an overall total of 836 modern comfortable homes for residents and potential home buyers when the scheme is completed in 2014. 

The overall cost to regenerate Rayners Lane is estimated at £140 million, which will mostly be financed by revenue generated from the private sale properties. The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) have also allocated £35 million towards this highly successful and well established project.  In addition the Government has announced its approval of Kick Start funding to provide HomeBuy Direct funding of £904K to support 32 of the homes for sale.

Seven phases of the programme are now complete providing over 380 new homes for rent and 64 apartments for sale, plus 44 refurbished homes for rent. New roads, named by the residents, such as ‘Harmony Terrace’, ‘Goodwill Drive’, ‘Karma Way’ are helping to enhance a new sense of community.

Each house has a garden and all the flats have balconies. Colour is emerging on the estate as plants and flowers become established and residents discover their ‘green fingers’. 

The eighth phase which will complete the new homes for rent started in December 2009 and is due to complete in summer 2011.  This phase includes 94 rented homes, 32 private sale apartments (which have the Kick Start funding mentioned above),  and 17 intermediate rent to buy homes.

Rayners Lane also features the Beacon centre with its popular café, specialist housing staff and a range of support and activities for residents of all ages.  Harrow’s eleventh Sure Start Children’s Centre also opened recently at Rayners Lane to provide support for parents and their children aged five and under. 

About Home Group:

Home has a turnover in excess of £283m, manages 55,000 affordable homes and 520 care and support services offering specialist housing and support to vulnerable and/or socially excluded people. More than 4,500 people work at Home Group, supporting over 220,000 people across England and Scotland. 

We are proud of our heritage and our people.  Established in 1935 in response to the deprivations faced in the North East during the Depression we have continued to adapt to changing economic conditions.

We strive to bring neighbourhoods to life, shaping them into great places to live and work.  Customers are at the heart of everything we do and are actively involved in deciding what we do and how we do it – at both a strategic and a community level.  Our ultimate aim is that by working together with our customers, clients and partners we are able to offer improved quality, better value, increased choice, opening doors to better lives.

Home Group trading names: Home Scotland, Home Central, Home North West, Home North East, Home South, Stonham, LiveSmart@Home

www.homegroup.org.uk