Achievements

Tenant Festival success

This year, our amazing tenant panel ran the Tenants Festival 2024. Over 100 tenants came to the Sid Vale Scout Hut in Sidmouth for a fun and exciting day. 

There were lots of things to do, like workshops, meeting llamas, listening to stories in a story tent, trying archery, watching a magic show, and seeing birds of prey up close! People also learned about local gardening projects and how to get help from the Community Initiative Fund. 

One of the best parts was the Awards Ceremony, where we celebrated people who’ve done great things in their community. 

Pop-up events around the area

More than 100 residents came to enjoy our pop-up events in different towns. 

We visited a Community Garden in Sidford, had a family barbecue in Colyton, and held second-hand clothes events in Exmouth and Axminster. Our last summer event was in Budleigh Salterton, where we served cream teas. 

People chatted with our housing teams officers, shared what matters to them, and told us how we can help. There was also advice available for money worries, mental health, and local community groups. 

Community hubs

In 2024, our Communities team ran 8 hubs across the area. Over 6,000 people visited! 

Each week, visitors got free drinks and a hot meal. There were workshops to help with health and wellbeing, like seated exercise, cooking on a budget, and money tips. The hubs help people feel less lonely, train volunteers, run kids’ activities during holidays, and most of all, have fun! 

Community Initiative Fund projects

In 2024, we got lots more applications for our Community Initiative Fund. We were happy to support many tenant-led projects, especially community gardens. These gardens help people come together and support East Devon’s climate goals.