Live in Gants Hill? Take part in resident-led research to help shape your community

Gants Hill residents are being called upon to share their experiences of their local neighbourhood as part of a new research project led by local volunteers to help shape the Gants Hill community.

In partnership with the London Borough of Redbridge and University College London (UCL), 20 volunteers will be meeting and surveying local residents, and taking photos of the local environment to gain a richer picture of the local area and understand how the community wants to shape its future.  

This community-led research project will see volunteers survey local residents with a focus on: 

• Community cohesion: To understand the diversity of Gants Hill 
• Environment: To understand the impact that litter has on mental health and wellbeing, and experiment with different approaches to reduce littering 
• Activities and Spaces: To understand the shared spaces that are currently used by the community, and what activities could be introduced in Gants Hill.

 Gants Hill resident and community researcher Emily Wen said: “Living in Gants Hill and being able to give back to the community through research and engagement is very significant to me. I feel more involved with the local community and that I am contributing to a better vision for Gants Hill. Collaborating and working together with the mission to better the place that we live and work in is one of the best ways to create positive change and to flourish.” 

 The findings, which will be showcased at events later this year and published online, will be used to shape activities in the local area, identify and prioritise local needs and feed into the plans for the future Gants Hill Hub. The Community Hub will provide high quality and accessible services and provide a place where residents can meet and run their own activities. 

 The Leader of Redbridge Council, Cllr Jas Athwal, said:

"Our residents’ views play a key role in transforming our communities. I would encourage all Gants Hill residents to have their say and shape the future of their local area by getting involved in this fantastic research project.”

 Residents looking for more information, or who would like to leave their details to be contacted for involvement, can visit: https://orlo.uk/Hjt2P

Photo Credit ‘Redbridge Museum & Heritage Centre’.