Description:"I’ve been here since January 25th 2003, I was in Vorton house in Woodview for 24 years. The block is on its way down now, it had to be emptied. So it was an internal transfer.
We weren’t too happy that our block was being knocked down, we liked the flat, didn’t really want to move but we had no choice. We took this place because it had been refurbished. It’s much quieter over here, the flat’s bigger, and we’ve got security. We’d always wanted a two bedroomed flat. There’s no comparison. It was the kitchen that sold us on the flat. Apart from decorate we haven’t had to do anything here.
I go to the Optima residents meetings in Montreal Tower, it’s for everyone in Benmore. We call ourselves the badgerers! The main issue that comes up is the lack of activity for teenagers, all they do is hang around the streets. People say they cause trouble, but what else is there to do? People in the area would be willing to help out, run teams and that. The car park is a problem too, we need security on that. But I’d sooner be on this side than over the road. You don’t hear music blaring out, or the lifts. It could be a nightmare over there, if the lifts broke it would take them two days to come out. If the lifts break down here I get on to them straight away, they come out the next day.
I’m a playground supervisor over at Woodview Primary. I know a lot of the children round here, I’ve been at the school 20 years. Sometimes I see people with their own children and they say, ‘Miss, do you remember me?’ Quite a few stay round here but of course everyone’s had to move out, now.
It suits me to shut the door and leave everything behind. Socially I normally go out and meet friends after work, or meet my sister, in town or here, or I go to their houses. I don’t go out at night. I read and watch TV at home. I buy eight mazagines a week: Chat, Take a Break, Woman, Woman’s Own, Bella, Best, Weekly News and TV Quick. My friend gives me Hello magazine. I like the gossip!
It took us about three months to settle in here, we had a few upsets, my husband’s friend died the week before we moved in, and then I was looking after an old lady, doing her shopping and housework for her. She ended up going into hospital in January and died March 11th so we had to sort her house out as well. We’re OK now. We just didn’t realise what an upheaval it was to move. We’re such hoarders, I must have emptied out about 21 black bags. It was all old clothes and ornaments and household stuff and paperwork. So we thought, ‘right, that’s it,’ and cleared it all out.
I’ll still be here in five years time. We’re definitely not moving again.