My father bought our house in 1950 and it has always been my home.  I went away to University, worked in London and travelled the world, but wherever I was, my heart was always here in Lenton.  Having lost both my parents, my childhood memories of playing with friends on the Lenton Drives and around The Park Estate are cherished.  The desire for my children to have the same opportunities to play out on the streets with other local children, along with them being able to sleep peacefully in their beds at night was the driving force to my setting up the LDNRA.

The community that once existed here has dwindled beyond all recognition, but I believe there are enough of us left to build it again. Occasionally  I bump into an elderly resident who takes me by the hand to tell me the story of my father, who was a well-loved local GP, delivering their first-born or always having a listening ear for them.  As in many parts of the UK, the chance of my children being able to buy their first home here is slim, so gradually, the community will die out if we don’t do something to turn the current trend around. We need to persuade some of the young people moving into our area to put down roots, by encouraging them to love and respect our neighbourhood and become part of our community.  We need to bring in new families by encouraging more family housing and making it a more attractive area for families to live.

There is still much to do, but in our first year I believe we have achieved a great deal.  For me, the greatest part of it all has been meeting some of the wonderful residents I didn’t know before and learning that so many share my passion for Lenton and the surrounding areas.