Neighbourhood action days at Westmill

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A Settle colleague walking down a residential street with school children wearing hi-vis vests and carrying litter picks and waste bags.

Over the last two weeks, we’ve been out and about in Westmill, Hitchin, one of our biggest neighbourhoods, for our Neighbourhood Action Weeks.

These events are part of our ongoing commitment to investing in neighbourhoods and creating places where residents are proud to live.

The first week saw the start of a busy programme of activities, with pupils from Oughton Primary School helping by picking up litter from the streets around their school. Residents also got involved, bringing unwanted items to the skip provided by Settle to be recycled, reused or disposed of, using all sorts of transport – from cars and vans to wheelbarrows, wheelie bins and pushchairs!

A collage of three different photos. The first scene shows two Settle colleagues emptying rubbish in a skip. The second sis a resident pushing a wheelbarrow filled with green foliage or branches. The third is a fire officer and Settle colleague standing at a resident's door talking.
Settle colleagues pictured loading a skip, a resident pushing a wheelbarrow filled with garden waste, and a Settle colleague with a partner from the Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service talking to a resident during a Safe and Well visit.

Our teams were on hand at Westmill Community Centre sharing advice on preventing condensation, damp and mould, reducing fuel bills and keeping homes warm, as well as support with money and debt. On the Friday, Settle colleagues were out improving local green spaces and communal areas, including cleaning pathways and tidying flowerbeds.

In the second week, we partnered with Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service to carry out Safe and Well visits to older residents, offering advice and support. Local residents aged 70 and over were also invited to Kingfisher House to meet others and talk about their wellbeing and their neighbourhood.

A collage of three photographs: The first shows two people standing outside a small shed or cabin, engaged in conversation. The second depicts two individuals wearing high-visibility vests, holding litter-picking tools and bags. The third features two people working together to collect and bag garden waste, also wearing gloves.
Settle colleagues join a resident for a Safe and Well visit in his home, two Settle team members taking part in the community litter pick, and two Settle colleagues cleaning up a communal garden area in the neighbourhood.

We’d like to thank everyone who got involved, including residents, partners and community organisations who supported the events.

There’s still plenty of opportunity to get involved.

We began the Big Door Knock in Westmill this week and it will be running until 17 July. It’s a chance for Settle colleagues, including members of our Executive team and Board, to meet residents and listen to what matters most to you.

To find out more, please see our Big Door Knock news story.

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