Everybody Needs Good Neighbours

Cala Homes Press releases

cala larkfield estateResidents at a CALA Homes development in Midlothian have come together to show that Scottish community spirit is still alive and kicking by holding a summer extravaganza.

Making the most of their specially designed village green at the centre of the Larkfield Estate in Esbank, Dalkeith, over 150 residents and friends came together last Saturday for a ‘Pic-Nic on the Green’.

Despite the grey skies, the warmth of the community spirit shone through, as neighbours of all generations turned out for an afternoon of traditional summer fete fun and games.

The event that had been organised by members of the Larkfield Estate Owner’s Association made up of a whopping 44 out of 49 houses in the development was a great success, raising over £680 for a charity close to the heart of the community.

Bringing the Community Together

Brian Ricketts, the Chairman of the Larkfield Estate Owner’s Association said: “When we formed the Association we had, as one of our key aims, to encourage a spirit of community togetherness and neighbourliness.

“We recognised quickly, that by linking planned events with raising money for charity, we could meet our objectives and help the broader community.

“In this CALA estate, the design of the village green surrounded by houses, really does lend itself perfectly to outdoor community events like this, having plenty of space to set up marquees, games and picnic areas”

“On the day not even the cloudy weather could dampen the spirits of everyone. It was great to see the kids launching themselves into the games and races.

“Some of the fitter adults would not be overshadowed by the children and opted for challenging races and tug of war. The other more cautious adults enjoyed the picnic whilst getting to know one another.cala homes larkfield

“The generosity of everyone who donated to our charity on the day of the event was overwhelming. We would like to thank everyone who attended the event and all of our sponsors including CALA Homes for their kind donations.

“After this tremendous success, we are already looking forward to planning our next event.”

Fun for all Ages

Jumping for joy, the development’s youngest residents enjoyed spending hours on a bouncy castle as well as taking part in a variety of games, races, and face painting before a much needed visit to the various food stalls to give their energy levels a welcome boost after a hard day of play.

Sarah Stanger, Sales and Marketing Director at CALA Homes (East) was thrilled to hear that the community get-together had been such a success. She said: “Here at CALA we believe homes are more than just places to live and sleep, they should be a network of community spirit and neighbourliness.

“Our village green at Larkfield was carefully designed to encourage residents to come together as a community and it is simply wonderful to see the people of Larkfield making the most of the opportunity to get to know one another.”

With the final properties at the development having only been completed last year, the Larkfield Estate Owner’s Association have grand plans to make the most of their new neighbours by hosting various events throughout the year.

So far they have planned a community friendly Halloween event in October, followed by a special Christmas carol charity event which they hope will build upon last year’s 60-strong turnout as well as a series of community woodland walks.

Sarah Stanger added: “The ‘Pic-Nic On The Green’ is a prime example of how the design of our developments together with the help of our fantastic residents can help turn bricks and mortar into happy, thriving communities and I wish the Larkfield home owners all the best for their future events.”

CALA Homes, the UK’s most upmarket major homebuilder, is headquartered in Scotland and employs more than 600 people.

Its reputation was earned on the high quality of the homes it builds in developments which are sensitively designed to augment the areas in which they sit. The result is that its homes are not only highly sought after, but retain their value over decades and earn loyalty from owners, who often live in a series of CALA properties.

For more information about CALA and to discover more about developments in your area visit http://www.cala.co.uk/.