“After over six years of hard work between Drum Housing, residents and developers, finally on 27 May 2009 a street party was held in the middle of Rowland Square to officially open Privett Green. Nigel Atkinson, Vice Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, performed the official opening ceremony and helped bury a time capsule in the gardens.
Pupils from The Petersfield School, who had already given ideas on how they wanted the development to look, gave up their spare time in the half term break to entertain us, and gave everyone pleasure with their singing and dancing talents. There was television coverage from both the BBC and ITV, interest from many local organisations, and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England presented an award which is now proudly on display in Drum Court.
It was no wonder that we let off green balloons to celebrate and all this in pouring rain and a driving wind, but I feel certain that everyone who braved the weather had a very enjoyable time and now after all the excitement, normal life has resumed.
Sylvia Hawkes has been a resident on the estate since 1971 and a leading member of the resident Steering Group.
“After over six years of hard work between Drum Housing, residents and developers, finally on 27 May 2009 a street party was held in the middle of Rowland Square to officially open Privett Green. Nigel Atkinson, Vice Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, performed the official opening ceremony and helped bury a time capsule in the gardens.
Pupils from The Petersfield School, who had already given ideas on how they wanted the development to look, gave up their spare time in the half term break to entertain us, and gave everyone pleasure with their singing and dancing talents. There was television coverage from both the BBC and ITV, interest from many local organisations, and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England presented an award which is now proudly on display in Drum Court.
It was no wonder that we let off green balloons to celebrate and all this in pouring rain and a driving wind, but I feel certain that everyone who braved the weather had a very enjoyable time and now after all the excitement, normal life has resumed.
With the REEMA rebuild now completed and the area now known as Privett Green, there is a marked improvement on the upkeep of the front gardens, with pots and hanging baskets adding a colourful touch among the shrubs. I was given a packet of sunflower seeds in the Spring and I planted them in single pots in a “cold greenhouse” until they were big enough to plant into my back garden. 18 multi headed mixed bronze coloured sunflowers have grown well. These will be left as long as possible into the Autumn in the hope that the seed heads will attract the birds into the gardens. I hope all residents will do something to encourage birds, butterflies and bees to return over the coming winter ready for next Spring.
There’s no comparison to the old houses. This whole process has brought the community together. Drum have brought together older people, young couples and families; a lovely social mix. That’s what life’s all about.”