Exploring the Needs and Desires of Wellingborough’s Queensway Estate: A Community in Transition

The Queensway estate in Wellingborough, a town located in the East Midlands of England, has been the subject of much attention and concern in recent years. Labeled as ‘left behind’ by the Local Trust in 2019, this area, which is both economically and socially deprived, has been the focus of numerous reports and studies aimed at understanding the needs and desires of its residents. In this article, we will delve deeper into the lives of the people of Queensway, exploring the challenges they face and the solutions they propose.

The estate, which sits on Wellingborough’s western fringe, has seen its fair share of violence and crime. In 2021, the killing of 16-year-old Dylan Holliday shook the community to its core. The Reverend Ben Lewis, who has been the vicar at St Mark’s Church in Queensway since 2017, spoke of the estate’s resilience in the face of adversity. “Definitely not an area of no hope,” he said, determined to help his community thrive.

The death of Dylan Holliday was not an isolated incident. The Reverend Lewis noted that in the months leading up to the tragedy, there had been two shootings and seven stabbings at a zebra crossing outside St Mark’s Church. The community was in need of more than just reassurance; they required intervention and prevention programs to address the root causes of the violence and criminality.

Father Ben, as he is known to the community, is working on a project to renew a bike track on an area of unloved parkland. With the help of a local prison and North Northamptonshire Council, the land could be brought back into community ownership, providing mentoring and resilience for youngsters. This initiative, which is hoped to be a fitting legacy for Dylan, is just one of the many ways the community is working to create a safer and more supportive environment for its residents.

But what does Queensway need from its next MP? According to Father Ben, “We really need a community champion that’s going to be up to our game and make it happen.” The community is filled with amazing people who want everyone to thrive, young and old. They need someone who will listen to their concerns, understand their needs, and work tirelessly to make a difference.

Fiona Lok, who helped set up and now runs the youth club at St Mark’s with Adelle Toseland, grew up on Queensway but now lives elsewhere in Wellingborough. She spoke of the progress the area has made in the last five years but acknowledged that there is still a long way to go. Her top priority is investment in children’s mental health. “There needs to be more investment in children’s mental health because it just feels like they’re being failed,” she said.

Mary Roka Magar, a Nepali translator, converted her garage in Queensway into a food bank during the Covid-19 pandemic. She started helping five or six families but now sees more than 90 families each week. The pressure on the food bank is immense, and they need help. “In the 21st Century, people shouldn’t be worried about food. That should be the least concern,” she added.

Alicia, a 16-year-old A-level student and aspiring psychologist, attended Weavers Academy, a secondary school serving Queensway and beyond. She spoke of the shock the community felt when former pupil Dylan Holliday was killed. “That’s when a lot of people realized that we do need to improve the safety around, not necessarily just Wellingborough, but the safety of children in general,” she said. The school provides an amazing support team, but Alicia would like more focus on children and education, including investment in schools and safe spaces.

Weavers Academy principal Jon Hunt wants to enable pupils, parents, and the community to dream and be able to be everything that they want to be. He recognizes that knife crime is a safeguarding issue and that education is part of the solution. The school provides 60-70 extra-curricular activities each week and helps pupils feel like they belong. “Children deserve inspirational learning places,” he added. “If we could match our tenacious and creative approach to problem-solving and education with continued investment and capital funding, just imagine what we could achieve.”

The by-election for Wellingborough will take place on 15 February. Peter Bone, the former MP, was removed from his position after being suspended from the House of Commons for six weeks for breaching the MPs code of conduct. The candidates set for the by-election are yet to be determined, but one thing is clear: the community of Queensway is in need of a champion who will listen to their concerns, understand their needs, and work tirelessly to make a difference.

Parts of Queensway were ranked among the top 10% most deprived streets in England. The challenges faced by the community are complex and multifaceted, but the residents are determined to create a better future for themselves and their children. The needs and desires of Wellingborough’s Queensway Estate are a call to action for all of us to work together to build a brighter future for this community in transition.