AN initiative by the Alton and District Residents’ Associations to increase the number of such community groups in the town gets under way this week with a mass mail-out of promotional ‘flyers’ to the residents of the Greenfields area.

The Alton and District Residents’ Associations information leaflets emphasise the advantages to residents of co-operating and working together to form a residents’ association or group.

Launching the Greenfields initiative, Alton and District Residents’ Associations chairman John Grace said: “Residents’ associations are inclusive, friendly groups that promote a sense of community. By working together you, as residents, are able to exert more influence on service providers and policy makers to ensure that you get what you need for your area.”

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.

These cover the Amery Hill area of Alton, Ackender Road, Treloar Heights, Eastbrooke, Wooteys and Anstey, Old Odiham Road and Upper Anstey Lane, and the Holybourne Village Association.

Areas currently not covered include the Greenfields estate and the area east of the High Street.

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

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

Over the coming months, Alton and District Residents’ Associations will be targeting those areas of the town that are currently without any representation and welcomes approaches from groups of residents interested in forming their own 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 to create new residents’ associations to address and promote issues specific to their communities.

For more details, e-mail Alton and District Residents’ Associations at [email protected]unity.