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Report transcript in: Graham's Story
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Graham's Story
Please Report the Errrors?
thank you for being agreeing to be interviewed today.
Can you just tell me a bit about what you do in Ty Hill and what you think of the area?
Yeah, Well, basically, um, I've lived in Tyler,
uh, since 1956.
Other than a few years,
Um, I was
when my wife and I got married and then returned back to,
and we purchased our current property in a
I was actually born in El Tree Anu,
which was the home of my grandmother.
And then we now live in
Avenue, which I moved to at the age of 12,
uh, with my parents.
But unfortunately, my my parents divorced, separated, etcetera,
and sadly, both have both passed away.
So when
my father passed away, it became
obvious that because there was no will, et cetera,
something had to be sorted out with the estate.
Hence being the oldest of three siblings,
it was left to me. So my wife and I,
um,
we've been married 49 years this coming November
had to make a decision on the on the property.
So we we went and bought it.
That
sounds good.
So obviously, having lived here for nearly 70 years
roughly.
You've obviously seen a lot of changes in the area.
Do you think that for the good or bad or
the age?
Uh,
I think I think it's like in any society. OK, you see, the
the issues with with regard to Coventry as a whole.
But I remember because I lived down cresol
close as well for a number of years.
Um, and obviously that's where they had the big the big fields,
which are now taken over by,
uh, the the college et cetera,
and also housing
the
the police Academy used to be based there
years and years ago.
I used to work in Tyle Hill for a number of years just off to
you for
28 years, but had to then leave in on health grounds.
Um, but
it's
there's obviously, you know, you still got the library.
You still got the the shopping centre
up Jane
Crescent.
My wife and Children
went to the went to the schools in the area,
uh, both at infant level.
Uh, I templers
then my son went to woodlands
and obviously went on, and my girls went on to, um uh
to
the old the old to
which is
set for demolition in the next next few weeks to become
West Co.
Academy.
So what do you think? The That's obviously the positive.
Do you think there's a good community spirit in the area?
Or do you think over the years it's become
this
dissipated?
I think, with being enabled watch coordinators as well
there is a lot of links.
Um,
between the West Midland Police,
for example.
Um, obviously in street watch as well. Speed watch, which which is unfortunately,
you know, becoming increasingly,
um, demanding
that there is a lot more communications on social media wise
for for the
for the residents.
So obviously we got you're saying about how we get information out
through social media.
Do you think there's any other way we could apart from the social media?
Can you think of any other way?
Because I understand you're involved in community radio at the hospital
and things like,
Do you think it was something that we could work around the entire hill?
Be it
a radio or like a newsletter or something?
Because, like you said, for all those that haven't got access to the Internet,
I must admit when I I used to, as I say,
I would used to be in the what's called the coach and trees.
That was obviously the top end of
lane,
Uh, or all the trees and the coats.
Um,
and we used to actually do a regular newsletter,
which was, um, obviously,
uh, set set up by by a group
who then would
like you could self has said already.
If people aren't on the Internet,
they would see a activities IE,
um,
you know, the Christmas float. And
obviously
and that and from that,
charities would be chosen by, say, a committee
of,
um
who who the actual money would go to. So we used to do, uh,
char a charity
Christmas run, for example.
And a lot of support came from the the Newlands.
Just based up on
so community wise, you find that that area of the city area of
hill has got quite a good community spirit anyway.
Yeah, Yeah, but,
um
not so much a point. I was putting it across.
Give me a minute,
and then this would happen.
Fucking idiot.
Hello?
Can I ring you back in a minute, love?
Ok, thank you. Thank you.
Yeah, we were just talking about
in the coats and trees area. That's that's right. That's right.
Um, because obviously, um,
they they've got a
They've got their own,
um, board, for example,
of where Anything that's going on. Where I got the bus this morning, for example.
Um,
there's no is that if you're going on a holiday,
you know,
um,
dos
dos
mainly, you know, closing your windows, letting your neighbours know
basically on a on a, you know, security sort of basis.
You know, let your neighbours know so that they can pop in.
And it's something that, um
I know
down in,
for example, even in my my small area
that, you know, or we're going away next week, keep an eye out or or in parcels.
You know, I've just had a private temple
where I've had a delivery
safely delivered to the, um,
to the householder.
Where's the safe delivery?
Because me and the wife came out at the same time
because she's got one way and I've got the other.
Where's the safe delivery
left on my doorstep?
Things things that I could I could actually ring up.
Um, my neighbour and say, Can you take it in?
And that's what I do because there's a community spirit in the area. That's right.
Do you think that's lacking in other parts of of
Hill?
Generally, I I'll be perfectly honest.
I don't know about other areas of Tyler with with not being
being in there. But it's something that I've
It's always gone on in my in my
Like I say I. I moved
to,
uh, roughly 54 years ago
when I was 12 years of age,
and then from that,
you know, the neighbours
at the time used to be.
Yeah, I used to come home from holidays back from holidays from my fence painted
with, uh,
oil
and things like that.
Uh,
if we
especially since the
beans, for example,
um I. I put my neighbours out.
I put the ladies across the road out.
That's
that's
with three different tenants. Or,
you know,
owners that something that the previous owner
something that's continued regardless of who the
people are
and then if we hear of because I'm registered with WN, the West Midlands
police.
If there's issues of antisocial behaviour or things like that,
you're able to then
communicate to the West
Police or even the local councillor.
We've had many occasions where
I don't know. The council is. Is it Marcus?
Right?
For example,
we've had issues in the area
where, whether it's abandoned cars, um,
whether it's antisocial behaviour, graffiti
straight away.
Um,
I I've contacted Marcus,
and he's then been able to, um,
you know, go back to the local
authorities. Whichever, um,
I get regular reports from from a daughter if the travellers, for example,
OK, Marcus is
so my daughter will let me know. I then contact Marcus
because he he's responsible for
Doma Harris.
Yeah.
So there's an issue like that and then it's all handled or or
you feel like the local councils do work for the area, then
Oh,
yes.
OK, I think that
OK, thank you for your help today.
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