PEOPLE in the Oakridge area of Basingstoke are being urged to show they care about their area by taking part in resident association meetings.

Ron Smith, chairman of the Oakridge Area Residents' Association, is keen for more people to take part in the bi-monthly meetings to help improve the area.

Speaking at the association's first meeting in the brand-new Oakridge Hall for All, Ron said the meetings give local people the chance to put forward their views, which can be passed to the Oakfern Residents' Forum - part of the Sentinel Housing Group.

Ron said: "I want people to come and join us to help make Oakridge a better community to live in. With the new regeneration project we have now got the chance to make this area a better place to live."

The association is an independent body and is open to all residents of Oakridge, whether they are Sentinel Housing tenants or if they own their own homes.

Ron said the association is an effective channel to get things changed in the area.

He added: "We got the deputy chief executive of Basingstoke council, who is also the director of community services, Gordon Holdcroft, to come along to a recent meeting, and at it, he promised to help smarten up Oakridge and, so far, improvements have been made."

Among the issues discussed at the inaugural meeting were litter problems and neighbours from hell.

The group had the chance to quiz Sentinel Housing Director Val Bagnall about progress with the Oakridge regeneration project.

Also at the meeting was borough council community development worker Julie Rawlinson, who gave an update about activities taking place in the community hall and praised the work of the volunteers who run it.

Ann Wharton, a tutor from the Workers' education Association, spoke about plans in setting up community educational projects for all ages at the hall.

Ron is looking for someone to act as the association's secretary for the remaining three months of the year until the AGM is held in January.

The next meeting will be held at the Oakridge Hall for All on November 26, at 7.30pm. Ron would welcome any suggestions for future meetings.

If you want more information about the association, call him on 01256 354907.