THE FINAL REPORT OF The Malden Manor Community Project August, 2014 Authors Heidi Seetzen, Carlie Goldsmith and Mark Ramsden (CResCID, Kingston University); Gemma Gallant and Tony Willis (Equalities and Community Engagement Team, Royal Borough of Kingston) Acknowledgements: Research Team Kingston University: Dr Carlie Goldsmith, Dr Heidi Seetzen, Dr Mark Ramsden and Taryn Padmore Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames: Gemma Gallant and Tony Willis This project would not have been possible without the help of residents, Kingston University students and other volunteers who helped to recruit, interview participants and feed-back findings during community road shows. We would like to acknowledge their contribution and thank them for the time they devoted to the project Community Researchers: Residents of Kingston: Anna Drittler, Rick Watkins, Marian Freedman, Clive Clarke, Forida Rahman, Aneta Kubiak (Malden Manor Children’s Centre) Kingston University Students: Nicole Edwards, Lauren Johnston, Matthew Pyle, Kayleigh Dryden, Linnea Roslund Gustavsson Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames: Carlos Queremel, Nathalie Wilson, Sophia Severin, Hannah Rees, Jo Gikuyu 1 Executive Summary The research elements of the project were designed by academic researchers from the Malden Manor Community Centre for Research on Communities, Identities and Difference, Kingston Project Final Report, University, and delivered in partnership with Kingston Council’s Equalities and August, 20141.t Community Engagement Team. The research was deliberately designed to Introduction be participatory, position community members as ‘experts’ and encourage the co- The Malden Manor Community Project is the production of knowledge. It is hoped that the third participatory needs assessment roots that have been planted by this process conducted by the Royal Borough of will be utilized positively as this project Kingston. moves into its second phase. The purpose of the project was to complete a detailed examination of the quality of life in Key Findings: Community Malden Manor, and, in particular the Sheephouse Way area of the ward. This Having a sense of ‘community’ or included: ‘community spirit’ was very important to local people. • Mapping all community assets, such as schools, places of worship and Some participants, especially longer term community spaces. settled residents, felt that there was a strong • Undertaking action focused sense of community in the area that involved qualitative research that included family, friends, neighbours and others. training volunteers as community These residents were happy living in Malden researchers and getting local Manor and reported having a good quality of residents to produce photo-diaries life and wellbeing. It was their view that the and be interviewed. neighbourhood had improved in recent • Engaging with local school children years as a place to live and would get even and running a workshop about their better over time. lives in Malden Manor. • Distributing ideas cards around the Other participants had very different locality encouraging people to have experiences and reported that there was their say about life in the little or no community feeling in the local neighbourhood. area. This group tended to have • Running a series of research road experienced high levels of social isolation, show events that provided and were quite reluctant to venture far from opportunities for a wide range of their homes. It was their view that Malden residents to engage with the Manor was a risky place to live, and that, if research process and help an opportunity arose they would chose to formulate key findings. relocate. This report looks at the findings from Phase A third group of residents, often more 1 of the project – the community research. affluent, also perceived there was limited or 2 little sense of community in the their own lives, and the lives and neighbourhood, and chose to travel outside opportunities of their children. of the area for most of their everyday needs. In some cases this was, in part, because The Better Homes Scheme, the renovation Malden Manor was viewed as a of two large blocks of flats on the neighbourhood in decline that was home to Sheephouse Way Estate, had made fuel people they did not feel comfortable bills more affordable. Residents were hugely interacting with. This group were very supportive of this scheme and reported that conscious about the spaces and places they it had made a significant difference to their used in the area, and reported avoiding or quality of life and helped them keep their never using some places and services. homes warm. This scheme is a fantastic example of how investment in energy The experiences of different residents in efficiency measures can improve the lives of Malden Manor are underpinned by the stark people on low-incomes. socio-economic divides between the local authority rented flats and private houses, Key Findings: Caring for the and the majority of participants reported that Environment different social groups in Malden Manor did Parts of the area around Malden Manor are not seem to mix. Those who lived in local environmentally very attractive. There are a authority housing, either as renters or number of open green spaces, including owner-occupiers, felt they were judged spaces used for recreation and amenity negatively by others, and this had an impact purposes (Manor Park, Knollmead on their quality of life and well-being. Playground), spaces managed for nature conservation (the Hogsmill Open Space), Participants felt that a lack of community spaces that have a specific function (Malden space or places to meet exacerbated these Manor Allotments and Manor Park Nursery), divides and made them harder to bridge. public open spaces (Plough Green, and areas around South Lane and Sheephouse Way Estate) and green verges and spaces Key Findings: Getting By along local roads and pavements. Overall Many participants reported that they, or these spaces add (or have the potential to people they knew, struggled to make ends add) to the overall sense of place and meet. The cost of fuel, transport, healthy character of the area. In addition, the Better food and communication (such as telephone Homes Scheme was, although incomplete at and access to the internet) were sometimes the time of data collection, making people beyond the means of people living on low feel more positive about the look of the incomes. It was not just people on out of neighbourhood. work benefits who spoke about these issues, but also individuals and families in There were, however, a number of concerns low paid employment. raised about the environment locally that participants felt had a negative impact on Not being able to afford basic things, such quality of life in the community and sense of as keeping your home warm, did have a well-being. Traffic congestion and poor detrimental impact. Participants reported traffic management emerged as a big feeling isolated, unhappy and that financial problem. This was exacerbated by constraints were a real barrier to improving commuters parking around the Malden 3 Manor station area. It was felt that this was parents, the elderly or people with dangerous and compromised people’s ability disabilities). to enjoy the local environment and green spaces. In addition, there was a strong feeling that Malden Manor lacked community spaces Uncollected rubbish and fly-tipping were and places just to meet. A post office, another important local issue. Participants housing office and no charge cash machine felt that having a clean and tidy were other things that were identified as neighbourhood would make others judge the necessary but not available in the local area. area less and that the presence of rubbish only reinforced negative views about the place and the people who lived there. Key Findings: Safety and Security Others felt that litter was a sign that people Participants who were connected to the local did not respect the local environment and community felt very safe in the local area. that this issue needed to be taken more Participants who were more isolated or seriously by the local authority. disconnected had a very different view, and felt that the area was a risky place to live In addition, some spaces, such as the area and were fearful of crime and ‘problem around Malden Manor Station, were viewed people’. Official police statistics show that very negatively. The presence of the pylons, Malden Manor is one of the safest places in rubbish and lack of proper maintenance was Greater London and so the perception that a reoccurring theme. the area was dangerous reveals how important the connection between feeling Key Findings: Local Facilities and part of a place and fear of crime is. Services Participants reported feeling very happy with Others reported feeling generally safe in the the quality and accessibility of services in area, but expressed concerns about specific the local area. Local schools and the places and groups. For example, the area Children’s Centre, shopping facilities, around Malden Manor Station (including the transport links, healthcare and parks and empty pub) was viewed as risky, as were green spaces were all named as some of some of the green spaces. Young people the best things about living in Malden were the group who participants most often Manor. There were, however, some gaps in voiced specific concerns about, and it was local service provision that, it was felt, did viewed by some that young people in public impact on quality of life. spaces involved in noisy or disorderly behaviour did lead to heightened levels of The lack of facilities for young people, like, insecurity amongst some residents. for example a youth club or sports facilities, was raised consistently as an issue. Not It was not just crime and disorder that having anything for young people to do people were worried about, however, busy locally was viewed as contributing to roads with lots of traffic, particularly at tensions between this group and adult crossings, also caused concern amongst residents.