05 Sep ‘What would we do without our community and volunteers?

AS I write this article, watching the sunset from my office window and after another busy week, I think about my time so far as a Community Builder.

My Name is Sarah, and I am the new Community Builder for Kings Ash and Foxhole. It’s been a busy time, not only with the holidaymakers in the Bay, but also with me getting to know the area and, more importantly, the community.

I have been hindered a little and not able to do as good a walk around as I would have liked due to suffering an injury on the first day of my second week! However, I feel

I’m getting there.

I’ve attended several groups held at the Crafty Fox and have seen the great work they are doing there in trying to help and integrate the community. The knit and natter group, the wellbeing group, and the bereavement group to name a few. There is plenty of scope for other groups to be held there and I’m eager to be a part of that too.

The Community Centre in Foxhole has also been a hub of activity for the local young people, with the summer club. I have also had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful residents within Kings Ash and Foxhole on a 1-1 basis and have linked them up with volunteers who can give them some time. What would we do without our wonderful volunteers and befrienders, but there is always room for more!

During Children’s Week at Paignton Green, I did an afternoon shift on our Chrysalis bus on Paignton Green. This was a great time to meet residents from Kings Ash and Foxhole, as well as people from around the Bay and the UK.

Being part of our community is very important to me. I moved to the Bay 18 months ago and have felt nothing but a warm welcome from everyone I meet.

I’m looking forward to finding out what the community wants and how I can help them achieve that. We will be holding two community meetings in September, one at the Crafty Fox and one at the Foxhole Community Centre, in conjunction with Torbay Council Public Health, Swisco and Torbay Communities. The purpose of the meetings is to talk about some of the green spaces around Foxhole and how they can be utilized as a growing space and also so I can introduce myself.

I am thoroughly looking forward to meeting residents of all ages, from Kings Ash and Foxhole and working with them to bring positive changes to the place where they live.

Sarah can be contacted at [email protected] or by phone 07977 635984.