The ‘Clean up your estate’ project held towards the end of January, was initiated in response to residents’ requests and saw bulky items, waste and rubbish cleared from Crossfields Estate in Deptford.
The Community Payback scheme offers not-for-profit organisations and community groups the chance to benefit from supervised, unpaid labour. Lewisham Homes has been working with the scheme for nearly two years which has provided services for residents at no cost, where usually they would be charged.
Crossfields residents were invited to take advantage of the free collection service for any unwanted items. As well as lifting, moving and loading bulky objects onto removal vans, the Community Payback team cleaned up a play area, picked up litter and cleared leaves in the communal gardens. The workers also helped to remove unsightly debris and objects obstructing communal walkways - eliminating potential health and safety hazards.
Dave Tutt, Head of Estate Services for Lewisham Homes said: “We are always looking for new ways to engage with residents to meet their needs. This project shows that we are willing to go above and beyond to prove our commitment to delivering great housing services for thriving neighbourhoods. The Community Payback team cleared more than two tonnes of refuse from the Crossfields Estate over the two days, which will enable residents and staff to operate in a cleaner and safer environment. The project has been a great success and we are currently investigating whether other estates may benefit from a similar service."
