Local Events

In 2024, the Citizen Local Fund proudly supported a heartwarming community initiative at The Primary Plot, nestled in the Earlsdon Allotments on Beechwood Avenue. On 10th October, the Engagement Team will be attending the 🎉 Pumpkin Party and Official Opening of the Brand New Learning Pod — a celebration of growth, learning, and local connection!

• 🕒 Event Time: 3:30–5:30 PM
  🎤 Official Opening: 4:00 PM
  🥣 Soup & Bread Rolls Served: 4:15 PM (Suggested donation: £2 per person)
• 📍 Location: The Primary Plot, Earlsdon Allotments, Beechwood Avenue
• 🚶‍♀️ Travel Advice: Please walk or park off-site where possible to support sustainability 🌍

🍂 The flyer is beautifully decorated with autumn leaves, glowing candles, and a cozy pumpkin centerpiece — capturing the seasonal spirit and community warmth this event promises.

📚 The new Learning Pod will be a dedicated space for educational activities, workshops, and local engagement — a lasting legacy made possible through Citizen’s support 🙌.

Come along, celebrate with us, and see how local funding is helping communities grow! 🌻

The Forgotten Generations Exhibition

At a recent focus group around Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, one of our customers shared powerful memories from his time in the Armed Forces. He spoke passionately about an exhibition that meant a great deal to him — and we’re proud to help share it with others.

📍 Midlands Library
🗓️ 25 September – 12 December 2025 (during library opening hours)

The Forgotten Generations exhibition commemorates the public service of Black British veterans from World War II and later conflicts. Curated by Descar Dacosta, it shines a light on the bravery, sacrifice and resilience of those who served — stories that have too often been overlooked.

This is more than history. It’s a chance to:

• Reflect on the contributions of Black Britons to our shared heritage
• Learn from the past to build a more inclusive future
• Celebrate voices that deserve to be heard

📧 For more info: info@theforgottengenerations.co.uk
📞 Contact: +44 7405 081779

#TheForgottenGenerations #EDI #BlackHistory #VeteransVoices #InclusiveHeritage #CommunityEngagement #CitizenHousing

On Thursday 5th September, the Engagement Team headed to Credenhill, Hereford for a special community event – one that was inspired by a local customer who asked us to do something for the children in the area, following the closure of the local park.

We were really pleased to be joined by a Neighbourhood Officer, which helped build stronger links between Citizen teams and the local community. It was a great example of how working together across teams can build trust, show we care, and help make good things happen.

We wanted to bring the community together, and this event was all about the children – giving them a fun afternoon to enjoy while also starting conversations about what comes next for the area.

It turned out to be a brilliant afternoon not just for the kids, who loved the crafts, games, and “Guess the Sweets” competition, but also for the grown-ups, who had the chance to chat with us about what they’d like to see happen in their community. One child told us she “really loved the crafts,” and it was lovely to see so many children getting involved and having fun.

We were also there to begin conversations about an upcoming consultation with residents. This gave people the chance to tell us what matters most to them and where they think improvements should happen. It’s early days, but this kind of engagement is key to making sure we’re working with communities, not just in them.

This event was a great reminder of how important it is to listen, connect, and work together – both with our customers and across the business. It’s just the start of our journey with Credenhill, and we’re excited to keep working with the community to shape what comes next.

On Sunday 14th September 2025, Coventry will come together for a vibrant celebration of community at Vanny Fest 2025, held at The Coventrians RFC, Yelverton Road, Coventry CV6 4AF, starting from 11 AM.

🌟 What’s Vanny Fest All About?

Vanny Fest is a family-friendly event filled with music, activities, and opportunities to connect with local organisations. It’s a day designed to bring people together, celebrate community spirit, and offer support and information in a fun, welcoming environment.

🤝 Powered by Local Partnerships

This event is proudly supported by Vanny Radio, Coventry Youth Partnership, and Citizen — and is made possible through the Citizen Local Fund, which helps bring community-led ideas to life.

👋 We’ll Be Joining the Celebrations!

Our Engagement Team will be at Vanny Fest 2025, joining in with the celebrations and connecting with the community. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet face-to-face, enjoy the day together, and be part of an event that brings people and organisations closer.

We’re looking forward to seeing you there and celebrating everything that makes Coventry’s communities so special!

📍 Event Details

• Date: Sunday 14th September 2025
• Time: From 11 AM
• Location: The Coventrians RFC, Yelverton Road, Coventry CV6 4AF
• Contact:📱 07904 100074 / 07507 523242 📧 vannyradio12@gmail.com

Your Voice Matters: How We’re Reaching Out Across Our Communities

Since November, our Engagement Team has taken part in 52 pop-ups and 24 events across local communities — and we’re just getting started!

💡What is a Pop-Up?

A pop-up is when we visit a place where something is already happening in your area like a foodbank, social supermarket, or local group. It’s a chance for us to speak to customers face-to-face, listen to what matters to you, and share useful information.

We’ve had fantastic feedback from these visits!
At our pop-ups, we’ve spoken with over 154 customers, had great conversations about our services, and welcomed many new members to our Citizen Together Hub.

🎉What is an Event?

An event is something organised by Citizen Housing to bring people together around a specific topic or need. For example, in Willenhall, Coventry, we held an event focused on damp and mould, where customers could speak to experts, get advice, and access support.

These events are designed to be informative, supportive, and community-driven — helping you get the answers and assistance you need in a friendly, local setting.

We are committed to being out in the community, making it easier for you to speak to us in person. It’s another way for you to ask questions, raise concerns, and get support.

At one of our recent pop-ups, we even helped a customer join our focus groups. They now take part regularly and are helping to shape the services we offer.

These pop-ups and events help us reach people we might not connect with otherwise — and they give you a chance to get involved and have your say.

👉 Would you like to suggest a place where we should pop up next?
We’d love to hear from you! Please fill out this quick survey and let us know where you’d like to see our Engagement Team:
📝 Community Events- Have your say!

We’re really proud of what’s been achieved so far, and we’re looking forward to meeting even more of you out in the community soon!

🎉 Family Fiesta – A Day of Fun for All Ages!

We’re excited to invite you to the Family Fiesta, a free community event designed to bring neighbours together through fun, sport, and connection.

📍 Location: Robert Cramb Avenue, CV4 9LA
📅 Date: Friday 23rd August
🕙 Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

What to Expect:

• 🥅 Goalkeeper Competition – in support of the Eamonn Fallon Goalkeeper Charity
• 🏏 Cricket
• 🥏 Disc Golf
• 🎲 Board Games with Max Parsons
• 🧩 Novus
• 🍔 Food & Refreshments
• 🎯 Games for all ages

This event is all about bringing our community closer together, and we’d love to see you there!

👋 Meet the Citizen Engagement Team

Our Citizen Engagement Team will be attending the Family Fiesta! Come and speak to us to find out more about engagement opportunities at Citizen while enjoying this fantastic day out. Whether you want to get involved, share ideas, or learn more about what’s happening in your area—we’re here to chat.

📱 Contact

For more information, contact Marcus Lapsa (Trees Group Events Coordinator) via WhatsApp: 07976 780746 or find us on Facebook: Trees Residents Group

Come along and explore your local Tiny Forest and its wonderful wildlife! These free, family-friendly events are open to all ages no age limit on curiosity! There’ll be fun science activities, nature crafts, bug hunts, and hands-on upkeep like tree health checks, litter picking, and soil science. Complimentary snacks will also be available.

🗓️ Event Dates & Locations:

• Monday, 11 August – Thimbler Road, CV4 8FL
  ⏰ 1:30pm – 6:30pm | 📍 What3Words: person.bumps.hoping
• Tuesday, 12 August – Nickson Road, CV4 9RU
  ⏰ 1:30pm – 6:30pm | 📍 What3Words: mostly.under.nurses
• Wednesday, 20 August – Whitely Common, CV3 5LL
  ⏰ 1:30pm – 6:30pm | 📍 What3Words: ears.dusty.gets
• Thursday, 21 August – Bell Green Road, CV2 2NE
  ⏰ 1:30pm – 6:30pm | 📍 What3Words: probe.nation.necks

👋 The Engagement Team will be attending the events on:

• Tuesday, 12 August at Nickson Road
• Wednesday, 20 August at Whitely Common

We’d love to see you there — come say hello, get involved, and discover the magic of your local Tiny Forest!

🔗 Sign up here: https://bit.ly/4m9DrXk

The Engagement Team recently attended the BDHT Community Day held in Sidemoor, Bromsgrove. Although Citizen has a small number of properties in the area, it was a great opportunity to raise our profile locally and connect with our customers.

This fantastic free event gave us the chance to speak with several customers who shared positive experiences with Citizen and expressed their satisfaction with the service they’ve received.

We also had a lovely moment with a young customer, who was interested in joining our Youth Engagement programme after learning more about it during the day.

The weather held up—although a little cloudy, the atmosphere was bright and cheerful. Everyone who attended seemed to have a great time, and it was brilliant to see the community come together.

A big thank you to BDHT for inviting Citizen to be part of such a well-organised and welcoming event!

On a sunny Wednesday, our Engagement Team joined Platform Housing at the Warndon Community Hub in Worcester for a fun and exciting Youth Day.

We met lots of our customers and their families. Everyone was friendly, and it was a great chance to talk, share ideas, and work together to make the community better. We also spoke with Worcester MP Tom Collins and Councillor Lynn Denham, who came along to support the event.

Throughout the day, we met many customers who were eager to work together to improve their community. Their ideas and enthusiasm showed how important it is to stay connected and support one another. It was clear that events like this help build stronger relationships and encourage people to get involved locally.

Fun for Young People

There was loads for young people to do! They got to meet different groups and learn about things they can do now and in the future. Some of the groups included:

• ⚽ Worcester Football Club
• 🎖️ Local Army Cadets
• 🚒 Fire Brigade
• 🚓 Police Services
• 🥋 Martial Arts Clubs
• 🛡️ Royal Life Guards Association
• 🏛️ Worcester City Council
• 💬 Our Advice Team
• ...and many more!

We’re pleased to share details of a free local event designed to bring the community together for a day of fun, connection, and support.

🗓 Date: Friday, 22nd August
🕚 Time: 11am – 3pm
📍 Location: The Green, Jardine Crescent, Tile Hill, Coventry, CV4 9QR
💷 Cost: Free entry and free lunch provided

Organised by the Tile Hill Community Partnership, this Family Fun Day offers something for everyone, including:

• Arts & crafts
• Face painting
• Entertainment and prizes
• Treasure trail
• Free school uniform
• Community art
• Advice stalls and more!

Our Engagement Team will be attending, and we’re really looking forward to seeing the community come together for this fantastic day. It’s a great chance to meet others, access support, and enjoy a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere.

For more information, please contact: tilehillreporters@gmail.com