Who is your Community Development Officer?
Hi, I’m Cara and I’m the Community Development Officer for Mansbridge. I’ve worked in Mansbridge since 2016, first as the Housing Officer and now in my current role. I enjoy my job as it’s so varied. We’re lucky to have Round About Café in Mansbridge, it’s owned by Abri and is a community hub where we can hold events and activities, including our Community Pantry. The cafe is supported by some amazing volunteers who dedicate their spare time to helping others. Outside of work I enjoy going to watch bands, attending music festivals, and reading.
You can contact Cara by emailing cara.headon@abri.co.uk
What are we working on?
Mansbridge estate is going to be 100 years old in 2025. So, we’ve launched a new project – Mansbridge 2025 – to develop and deliver changes that will improve the area into 2025 and beyond. In October 2023 we asked the community what projects they’d like to see that could enhance the environment, assets, community and customer satisfaction across the area into 2025 and beyond.
Customers have told us they enjoy living in the area and being part of the community. Neighbours, location, and green spaces were a highlight of the community.
The key themes raised were around:
- Improving existing parking and investigating options for additional parking
- Improvements to bin stores and recycling options at some blocks of flats
- Improving litter and fly tipping
- Street lighting to make the area safer
- Environmental concerns such as wanting more trees planted, Monks Brook to be cleaned of rubbish and green spaces to look more attractive
We’re currently investigating options to make estate wide improvements based on this feedback.
The project is a collaborative initiative celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Mansbridge estate in partnership with the University of Southampton. Residents, past and present, are invited to contribute to a Heritage Walking Tour, showcasing historical points of interest and local stories. The project will also feature oral history interviews, an online archive of photos and memories, and a book on the estate’s history. Additionally, a local exhibition and a major Southampton exhibition will highlight the area's heritage. In summer 2025, a one-day Community Celebration will offer interactive exhibits, performances, and activities for all.
We’re very lucky in Mansbridge to have several allotments, one of which is a Community Allotment plot. At the moment the plot has uneven, narrow paths and low- level planting. We are working with customers to design a new plot to make it accessible for anyone in the community to use, including wide, flat paths, seating and raised beds of different heights.
We’re partnering with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust on a project to create or adapt spaces in Mansbridge to allow nature to thrive. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Trust will be listening and consulting with customers, community groups, Mansbridge Primary School and Abri colleagues, and using the information to deliver community-led events, projects, and improvements to communal green spaces over the next 18 months.
Jill Doubleday, the Team Wilder Community Engagement Officer, would like to hear from you about your ideas, feedback and suggestions about the green spaces in Mansbridge. To find out about the events Jill is organising please email Jill.Doubleday@hiwwt.org.uk, or keep an eye out for posters on display at Round About Cafe.
As part of the Heritage Project, we have been holding sessions for people to come together and share their memories and stories of living in Mansbridge. We’ve been looking at old photos, documents and histories of the estate and will use this information to help plan a heritage walking tour, exhibition and event to celebrate Mansbridge turning 100.
A volunteer at Round About Café expressed a desire to join a local singing group. In response, the café partnered with SoCo Music Project, a local mental health music charity, to create a singing group. Since April 2022, the group has been meeting weekly, attracting around six regular members, most of whom live alone. The group provides a valuable social outlet, helping members make new friends and boost their confidence, with some even joining other music groups in Southampton.
