Pictured above: Chris Vaughan and four-year old Joshua

A Birmingham resident and tireless neighbourhood campaigner has featured in a new publication on the lives and communities being transformed by the government's Pathfinder programme.

Chris Vaughan has lived in Summerfield for 28 years and his is one of ten personal stories from residents in communities across the Midlands and the North who have benefited from housing market renewal funding over the past seven years.

Through the Summerfield Residents' Association, Chris has been at the heart of the change in the area which is now classed as an Eco Village - thought to be the largest in the UK and the first of its kind in Birmingham

Thanks to local partnerships with Birmingham and Sandwell's Pathfinder Urban Living, Family Housing Association and Birmingham City Council, the longtime concerns of local residents and dedication of people like Chris have led to an outstanding reversal of fortunes.

The once desirable Victorian properties around him had fallen into decline with multi-occupancy use, crime and anti-social behaviour, and things had to change explained Chris.

"We worked with Urban Living and Family Housing Association on what we wanted to see.  It started with a revamp such as new doors and railings to make the place look and feel a lot better.

"Then we took it one step further.  As well as multi-occupancy houses starting to turn back into family homes, there were all sorts of things like solar panels light wells, even experiments with wind power.  

"We were given Eco Village status and people came from all over the country to see the 'show homes' and how they work."

The project is an exemplar of local partnerships working together to improve neighbourhoods, deliver new housing, encourage investment, create jobs and build community cohesion added Urban Living's chief executive Adnan Saif.

"This £2.3million project has won numerous awards and helped to make Summerfield a sought after area again."

Chris is now one of Urban Living's four community board members.  "It's about residents getting together and making their voice heard, working with the people who want to listen, and showing them the potential of the area."

Called 'Our Story', the booklet shows how the government's Pathfinders are making a difference to communities and has been issued to policy makers and key opinion formers across the region and nationally.