A recent conference highlighted health issues that affected the life expectancy of people in Workington’s Salterbeck area. But did it really reflect the quality of life in an area where many people have been working tirelessly to turn things around?

Last updated 12:46, Saturday, 24 May 2008

RESIDENTS of Salterbeck take pride in their estate.

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You can see examples of it everywhere, from those people who give up their time to run youth activities and bingo to those who have volunteered to tackle health issues such as trying to get their friends and neighbours to give up smoking.

This is a community where everyone knows everyone else’s business, and where families can stretch back generations.

It is an area where people remember the tough times and are busy trying to shape a brighter future.

They are aware of the interest of so-called experts who point to indicators of social deprivation on the estate but feel that more should be made of the Salterbeck folk who have been working away quietly for years trying to turn things around.

They have taken a do-it-yourself approach to improving their area.

An area representative scheme has been set up whereby dedicated home owners walk around the estate with housing officers to seek out people who need help and to make sure the area is safe.

Pam Tyrer, 63, of Maple Close, an area representative, says: “There are about 12 of us that take it in turns looking for people fly tipping or to help sort out problems that anyone has.

“It shows that we care about where we live and that we want our estate to be as good as it can be.

“There is a real sense of community pride in Salterbeck and we will carry on doing all we can to make our estate the best in Workington.”

John Fearon, Paula McDonald and Morag McCormack, housing officers for Impact Housing, monitor the streets.

Paula says: “The scheme has been a success. People now know our names and come to us with problems.

“We don’t just look at the housing, but at issues that affect the residents such as street lights and pavements.”

Lillian Baldry, 57, of Cedar Court, chairwoman of the Salterbeck residents group, adds: “Our reps can choose to either walk around their own streets or they can be nominated a patch.”

Salterbeck residents hold a clean-up weekend three times a year, picking up litter and cleaning the estate.

Lillian admits that the area had been run down in the past, but the group has been working hard for more than a decade to put it right.

She says: “We got together in 1995 because we were fed up. People were leaving, no-one wanted to live here, houses were boarded up and youths were drinking all night, being a nuisance, so we took it on ourselves to turn it around.

“That is where the area representative scheme comes into it. It is great that people are willing to give up their time to make sure the area they are living in is nice.

“We take a lot of pride in where we live, so cleaning the streets isn’t so much of a chore but something that we see as being a positive step for Salterbeck.

“A lot of people get involved and we have a laugh when we are doing it.

“If you were to compare Salterbeck now to a decade ago, you wouldn’t recognise the place.

“Now we have a list of more than 50 applicants hoping to get a house when it comes up for sale here.”