Children have always been at the heart of Carol Bosworth. They first inspired her love of community work in West Cornwall and have been the drive behind her efforts for almost a quarter-century.
As a foster-mum, a mother of five and grandmother of three she has become synonymous with the continuing efforts for good social housing and welfare of the tenants.
This September Carol, 65, who now lives at Trewellard, is stepping down as a Board member of Penwith Housing Association (PHA) to become Cornwall tenant representative on the new Devon and Cornwall Housing Group.
Her public service for better homes began with the proposed transfer of the former Penwith Council housing stock to the new PHA and she became a member of the Residents Forum that helped guide it smoothly through.
Then came the Treneere Residents Committee of which she was chairman and within a few years she was elected to the main PHA Board. Recently she was chosen by it to join the new Trust Board, again representing the tenants. “We are now seeing the completion of the £10 million ‘Decent Homes’ scheme throughout our area. This has been wonderfully carried through by the PHA staff, led by Chief Executive, Andy Moore, together with the firms involved who have given such attention to the needs of the individual residents who have been consulted on everything we have done”.
Carol moved to Trewellard, with husband Harry, in 2000 after splendid achievements with Treneere tenants. Sadly, Harry died last year. “We first became involved in community work when we wanted to foster children and saw the need for more facilities on the estate. We formed a residents group. I was chairman with Harry as Treasurer and Marilyn Lobb, secretary, together with the support of two Mayors, Geoff Venn and Jeremy Drew” she said.
“We wanted to bring improvements to Treneere and do something for the children. A big venture was our successful bid for ‘Sure Start’ funding and then we had a community office thanks to PHA. The police, with Sergeant Alan Cragg, helped marvellously and so did the residents. The funding and constant local efforts benefited everyone. And all this has helped the kids”.
Carol has served on the Age Concern Penzance committee and on Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change, also resident led. “It is amazing how it all started for me with wanting to foster – and I am still as interested as ever in the community work” Carol added.
