For 13 years Wendy has lived at Faraday House in Exeter and had, for a while, been feeling isolated. “I’d suffered with anxiety and depression for many years”, explains Wendy. “I felt no sense of community. I felt I was simply eking out my life, waiting to die.”
During a phone conversation with Exeter City Councillor Richard Branston, Richard told Wendy about the Community Builders. Community Builders are mentored and managed by Exeter Community Initiatives in partnership with Wellbeing Exeter.
Community Builders bring people together, improve their wellbeing and make the community a better place to live. They do this by helping to create new networks, connect people and opportunities and look at what community spaces, skills, groups and people exist in an area to support people to grow their own ideas and try new things.
Wendy got in touch with Jayne, her local Community Builder covering Newtown and St Leonards. It was at this point Wendy’s life changed for the better.
Jayne talked to Wendy about how Wendy could organise fun social activities in the community room to encourage residents to get to know one another and develop a real sense of community.
“If it wasn’t for Jayne, I’d still be sitting alone in my flat, isolated and unhappy. It’s no exaggeration to say Jayne changed my life and gave me my old self back by inspiring me to take these social events on and encouraging other residents to get involved. Jayne produces posters for me to advertise the events and prints out photos so I can show other residents what we are doing.”
Wendy has organised bingo and quiz sessions, darts matches, a Christmas party, a Coronation party and a group outing to the Goldies ‘Sing and Smile’ event in the Guildhall. Wendy requested new notice boards for the lobby and keeps them up-to-date. She is also planning to bring residents together to paint a mural in the lobby to brighten up the space.
Jayne said: “Despite Wendy’s initial anxiety, she is a natural leader and took to organising events like a duck to water. She has transformed the social life of many of her neighbours and created a real community spirit.”
Wendy plans to continue to build her events programme at Faraday House and has been asked to share her experience with a resident in another part of the city.
Wendy’s advice to others in a similar position is “Just take that small step, make use of your community room or get involved with your community and have a laugh.”