I am always struck by the incredible strength of our local community to achieve amazing things.

This powerful sense of community has really come into its own over the past few years - from us working together through the Covid pandemic, to joining forces to tackle the cost of living crisis and create a network of warm hubs. By coming together we make a real and transformational difference to the lives and opportunities of people across our borough.

Engaging this powerful sense of community and bringing people together has been at the heart of the work to redesign the Cambridge Road Estate. I am so pleased to say that the regeneration is now underway and is set to deliver 2,170 sustainable homes in Norbiton, including more than 750 council homes and 20 shared ownership. Not only will the new development provide vital local homes, 45% of which will be affordable, it will also enhance the design of the estate so it is a greener, more pleasant place to live. As well as homes, it will also deliver other facilities, including a brand new, state of the art community centre.

While these important works take shape, the Queen Mary Hall in Cambridge Gardens has become the local community centre. Thanks to feedback from hall users, councillors and Countryside, our partner in regenerating the estate, we are investing in a brand new kitchen, accessible toilets, new flooring, lights, a wheelchair lift and much more, to make this a real asset for the local community, a space they can enjoy for years to come.

The hall is steadily becoming a wonderful hub in the heart of Norbiton. A Wellbeing Day has been established and will be held there monthly. The first event took place in February, bringing together council and health services, as well as community organisations under one roof to support residents with a huge variety of things - from applications to the household support fund, accessing fuel vouchers, help with SIM cards, vaccinations and health checks, mental health support and much more. The hall is also being used by well-established groups at the very heart of the local community. The fantastic CREst Tuesday Club is now operating from there, offering support, connection and friendship to those who drop in, as well as practical help such as a free warm meal to help those struggling with the cost of living crisis. The group also now runs the local food bank from the hall. Alongside this, the youth club is running sessions on a weekly basis and it’s hoped that the venue will be used as a space for community celebrations going forward.

To further ignite the strong community spirit that is so evident in all these activities, a Community Chest fund has been set up offering grants of up to £5,000. Money will be awarded to projects that will benefit the estate’s residents. The second round of funding is now open and applications must be received by 14 March. More details can be found at www.cambridgeroadestate.com/get-involved/community-chest.

As the regeneration of the Cambridge Road Estate progresses, I have no doubt that the strong community spirit that is the backbone of our royal borough, and at the very heart of groups like CREst and similar organisations, will continue to thrive.