Cheslyn Hay residents association celebrates 50th anniversary

Landywood Estate Residents Welfare Association (LERWA), based on the Landywood Estate in Cheslyn Hay, South Staffordshire, celebrate its landmark birthday by holding a party at Cheslyn Hay Working Men's Club.

A total of 120 people from the estate packed out the working men's club with many more unable to get in as the event was sold out and full to capacity.

The night included food, drink and a raffle.

LEWRA, set up in 1967, helps residents on the estate fix problems as well as put on coach trips and Christmas parties.

Roy Smith, 78, from the estate, runs the group and has done since 1995.

He said: "We have close to 500 members and still produce a bi-monthly newsletter which my wife June does.

"We have three coach trips a year in spring, summer and autumn to the usual places like Southport. In the autumn we try and go somewhere like Chester so people can go shopping if the weather is not great.

"We also have a Christmas party that we put on each year and we have a person from the estate who dresses up as Santa each Christmas and goes round delivering presents for the children.

"The main role of the association is to deal with any problems residents have. We can take these to the parish council and hopefully get them sorted.

"Problems can include things like speeding traffic and really we just try and get something done.

"There is currently 11 of us on the committee including Ray who has been the treasurer for 49 years, he is an amazing man."

Speaking about the 50th anniversary event, Mr Smith added: "We had the room at full capacity, more wanted to come but we could not get them in because of health and safety.

"First prize in the raffle was £100, followed by £50 for second and £25 for third - all of which is considerably more than what we normally have for our Christmas raffle.

"We also had four prizes of £5 for children who were excellent on the evening."