Team effort: Soho is not only a play area but is also home to many residents

• LEADERS from various organisations in the Soho community gathered for the Soho Ward Walk, a quarterly event where we walk around the city and discuss issues we hope to tackle over the coming months.

Meeting on the rainy Friday evening last week, the impassioned discussions soon transformed the mood, as our shared commitment to the city was clearly displayed by this being one of the largest gatherings that the event has seen in years.

This was organised by the Soho neighbourhood team at Westminster City Council, and is regularly attended by councillors, local police, the Soho Society, a team from Veolia, the cleaning company assigned to the area, as well as individuals from Soho Housing.

Ultimately our objective at these quarterly events is to get out on the streets of our beloved Soho and identify ways in which we can collectively improve it.

It’s also about reminding those that work in the area that Soho is not only the city’s play area but also home to thousands of residents and even a primary school. Soho Parish Primary School has similar problems to our residents with commercial waste, rubbish and traffic.

However the event provided us with the ideal forum to discuss the issue and identify ways in which we could ensure more regular cleaning and control of the cars in the area.

For us at Soho Housing it was also a great occasion for others to share their insight on ways we can better advise our residents on their communication with the city council.

For example, any furniture abandoned on the streets can be reported to the council online via fixmystreet.com – a service that ensures reported issues are handled within 24 hours.

In a place as busy as Soho, it’s often easy to forget the importance of pausing and taking stock.

The Soho Ward Walks allow us to do just this and collectively plot next steps for the good of the entire community. After a difficult two years, it is arguably more important than ever.

Residents must feel their voices are heard and leaders must take the time to stop and listen to them as well as listen to each other to ensure Soho goes from strength to strength.

Following this latest event, we are exploring further opportunities to work with the city council and other organisations in the area to improve the lives of Soho’s residents and look forward to meeting again in a few weeks’ time.

ONYEKA EKPECHUE
Housing Officer
Soho Housing