'Stigmatised' Swindon estate is anti-social behaviour hotspot
He wants to see the estate's reputation reversed: "One of the reasons people struggle in Penhill is because there's a reputation associated with being in one of the areas beginning with P."The pastor of Penhill Community Church believes that cleaning up and fixing things in the area would help to show it was loved. He is not the only one who feels like this. Christine, who struggles to walk, said "things don't get done", such as fixing pavements and cutting back hedges."I can't go out without someone being with me, in case I fall."
One of the ways a clean-up might happen is in the form of a big cash injection - Penhill has been named by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as a deprived area which will get up to £20m to spend in the community over the next decade.Local Labour MP Will Stone will be setting up community forums."I'm been told to get my skates and start working as quickly as possible."It has to be community-led."
Meanwhile, Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson hopes residents will start to feel safer with more visible policing in Penhill.A Safer Streets Summer initiative has also just launched - not just in Swindon, but in Salisbury, Trowbridge, Chippenham and Marlborough as well. It means additional patrols in known hotspot areas and increased enforcement of public space protection orders.
Mr Wilkinson said: "Being safe and feeling safe are two different things, and I recognise those really valid feelings that some residents will have who live and work in those areas of Swindon."He added that they are working with others to "address the root causes of crime and gang culture".
Yvonne is worried about safety: "My family don't want me going out in the dark."Her and her friend Doreen told the BBC they see a lot of police cars, but would like to see police on the streets.Kerrie Barrett, from the Penhill Chronic Pain Group, is a bit more positive.She said lots of people do like living there because of a good community spirit.With the money, she said they could "help more people; the elderly, the people struggling with pain, young families are a big thing as well".Vicky Edwards is part of the same group: "For me, growing up in Penhill was always safe. There's not enough for the kids to do any more."
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