HEADLANDS HOUSE TENANTS ASSOCIATION

There is only one block of six flats here on Towngate, Hipperholme and with only seven members, we are probably the smallest TARA. This was formed in 2001, with Brian Battye as chairman, Mary Battye as Secretary, Derek Priestley as Treasurer and the officers are still the same 5 years later.

Since forming our association we have attended Area Committee and Federation meetings and found we have a voice there and we have learned and achieved a lot. From our grant as a TARA, Fencing and Landscaping Budget and outside funding, we now have railings on top of a wall which had been used by people to sit and eat their chips!, gates front and back, where formerly any passing animal could wander in, the car park marked out and now with security lights, the hanging out area tarmac'd, we paid for a communal patio laying and table and chairs. I recommend tenants to form and register groups with PH2K and The Fed. You have nothing to lose and such a lot to gain.

Eight years ago when I moved here, there was only an overgrown lilac tree. I asked permission to make a garden and started by digging one bed and when neighbours from the surrounding private houses saw the improvement to their community, one by one they were giving me plants they had split. I dug more beds and gradually the garden grew, until now it surrounds the whole block and there's even a vegetable patch with rhubarb, strawberries, potatoes, lettuce, carrots and loads of herbs. Unfortunately for my husband, my favourite haunts are Garden Centres and I can't leave without buying, so it costs us a fortune! Brenda, who became a resident about 5 years ago is the same and she looks after her side at the front, we fill baskets, bags and pots and last year all the hard work and watering paid off. We were delighted to win the shield for Best Community Garden. I was very proud.

It's over 12 months since we had our refurbishments but there is still the communal area to be done (and the bathrooms) so even though we have lovely flats with nice new kitchens and an entrance with new security doors - once through them, the hall and stairs haven't been decorated for at least 14 years, so visitors don't get a good first impression. We hope this will be remedied soon.

Mary Battye, Secretary.