THERE was a bumper turnout last Saturday for the launch of the Ashdell Residents’ Association.

Around 80 people converged on Alton Maltings Centre for the inaugural meeting, which gave them the opportunity to meet fellow ward residents and to raise concerns over issues surrounding traffic, planning and lack of recreational space.

The launch has been heralded as another success for the Alton and District Residents’ Associations whose mission it is to increase the number of such groups in the town.

John Grace, chairman of the Alton and District Residents’ Associations, said: “Over the last month, aided by community grants from local councillors Graham Hill and Andrew Joy, we’ve been instrumental in launching two new residents’ associations. Greenfields is now represented by the Alton Greenfields Area Residents’ Association and the Ashdell Residents’ Association had its inaugural meeting at the Maltings last week.”

The Alton Greenfields group has been quick to engage with the contentious issue of problem parking. Chairman Phil Newell revealed that traffic and parking in the area was a “high priority” during our inaugural meeting.

And he added: “Alton Greenfields Area Residents’ Association is keen to hear from residents in the Greenfields Avenue and Southview Rise area who are interested in joining our association and are anxious to contribute to our community.”

Following Saturday’s meeting, Ashdell Residents’ Association spokesman Angela Barbey said: “It was a perfect example of local residents pulling together. It not only gave many an opportunity to meet and speak with their neighbours for the first time but also an appreciation that they all share the same concerns and ambitions for the future of our town.”

She added: “Some of the issues raised were the speed and the amount of traffic travelling though the area, future planning proposals and the lack of recreational space to enjoy the many areas of natural beauty in the town.”

Alton already has a number of successful residents’ groups and associations which share similar aims in respect of doing the best for the town as well as their own particular neighbourhoods.

Mr Grace said: “Alton and District Residents’ Associations is an affiliation of those associations and groups. We are committed to encouraging the formation of further associations in areas that are not presently covered.

“Alton and District Residents’ Associations feels that all new groups can benefit from the experience already gained by the more established organisations.”

And he added: “We welcome approaches from groups of residents interested in forming their own residents’ associations.

“Thanks to recent grants from East Hampshire District Council and Hampshire County Council, Alton and District Residents’ Associations is now able to allocate funds to assist people getting together as residents’ associations to address and promote issues specific to their communities.”

For more details or to get involved, visit adra.community or e-mail [email protected]unity.