Who is your Community Development Officer?
Hi, I'm Edmond Wong! I joined Abri as a Community Development Officer in June 2024, focusing on Longwood Park, Slough. It’s great to have the Byron Centre at the heart of Longwood Park, making it easy for residents to join activities and share their feedback. I’m truly grateful to meet so many dedicated community members who have eagerly come forward to share their ideas and collaborate on improving the neighbourhood.
Before this role, I gained extensive experience in community work in Hong Kong. After relocating to the UK with my family in 2021, I spent two years working in homeless services before taking on my current position. I am excited to use my experience to develop projects that address the community's needs.
In my free time, I enjoy spending quality time with my family, working on DIY projects, and gardening. I am also a football fan—it is so great to finally watch matches at a more comfortable time, unlike in Hong Kong, where I need to stay up late to catch them!
You said, we did
You said:
You let us know you wanted more local activities for children.
We did:
We’ve collaborated with the Family Hub to organise "Learn & Play" sessions for children and parents, available every Friday, providing fun for the children and space for parents to connect and share. We also planned activities during school breaks to better meet the needs of the community's children.
You said:
Having met the teams at some of our events, you wanted more opportunities to speak with us in person.
We did:
We have since collaborated to create the Opportunity Hub, held every Tuesday, where various Abri teams engage with residents face-to-face and provide support. Moreover, we keep residents informed about community activities through notice boards, a digital display in the buildings, and posts in the community's Facebook group. We also organise focus groups to hear residents' views on community matters, incorporating their feedback into the new Community Investment Plan for future actions.
You said:
To support those working during the day, you wanted extended community pantry opening hours. You also told us it would be good to see more cleaning products on offer.
We did:
From November, we are extending the opening hours and will be enhancing the pantry offer to provide more of the essential items you identified.
What we're working on in Longwood Park
Coffee Mornings
Our coffee morning is held every Wednesday at the Byron Centre, offering a warm, friendly space for residents to meet, chat, and build meaningful connections.
Each session features lively bingo games and heartfelt conversations, helping people get to know one another and form new friendships. For many, especially older residents, it provides a much-valued opportunity to combat loneliness, share stories, and strengthen community ties. Participants often bring homemade food to share, creating a welcoming atmosphere of mutual support and togetherness.
Recently, in collaboration with Creative Communities, we introduced Art for Wellbeing during the coffee mornings. Residents now have the chance to explore their creativity, learn new art skills, and enjoy peaceful, mindful moments that benefit their mental wellbeing.
Our coffee mornings are about nurturing a stronger, more connected community where everyone feels welcome and valued.
Community Pantry with extended session
The Community Pantry remains a popular and essential resource for residents, providing affordable access to surplus food through partnerships like FareShare. Open to all in the SL3 postcode area, it allows members to choose their own groceries at significantly reduced prices.
Over the past six months, the pantry has seen significant membership growth, highlighting its increasing importance in the community. To enhance accessibility, an extended session was introduced in November 2024, operating on the first Wednesday of each month from 4.30-6pm. This initiative ensures that working residents can also benefit from the service.
Listening to community feedback, the pantry has expanded its offerings beyond food, covering the essential items like toiletries and cleaning products. This addition ensures that members can access toiletries and personal care products, further supporting their well-being.
To deepen community engagement, the pantry recruited residents as volunteers to help with its operations. Volunteers received training, including level-2 food hygiene certification and other workplace skills, equipping them with valuable experience. This initiative not only supports the pantry’s sustainability but also helps individuals develop skills for future employment, enhancing their job readiness.
Family Litter Picking Days
On 16 April, we hosted a Family Litter Picking Day that brought together 28 enthusiastic participants—children and parents alike. Together, they collected seven full bags of litter from the local area.
The children thoroughly enjoyed the activity and suggested holding similar events more often during school holidays. Families were keen to continue participating on a regular basis, seeing it as a fun and meaningful way for their children to get involved in caring for the community.
To thank everyone for their efforts and encourage continued engagement, each child received a certificate of appreciation for helping to keep our neighbourhood clean and beautiful.
Energy Efficiency Cooking Classes
The Energy Efficiency Cooking Classes officially launched on 25 April at Foxborough Primary School. Nine participants come from diverse ethnic backgrounds. They are actively engaged and enthusiastic about learning how to use energy-efficient cooking equipment. The sessions also provide an opportunity to explore different food cultures, fostering meaningful dialogue among participants.
The class has been successful in sharing practical knowledge about energy-saving cooking techniques and helping participants discover ways to reduce household expenses.
We have launched the Opportunity Hub, providing support to local residents. Teams from Abri will be on hand to offer guidance on housing, income, and benefits.
What's been happening in your area?
The membership of the Community Pantry has grown to more than 100 households. On average, each week, we’re serving 80 people and delivering 200kg of surplus food that would have otherwise gone to landfill.
These sessions are popular among parents with young children, offering playtime and opportunities for parent-to-parent support. Parents value the space for their children to have fun and appreciate the supportive environment that encourages sharing and connection.
There are 28 participants – children and parents joining together to do the litter picking in our community.
Nine participants from diverse ethnic backgrounds all actively engaged in learning how to use energy-efficient cooking equipment and contributed the skills to cook food from different cultures.
