A feature favoured by the porters is the section where we profile two of them in each issue. There are a dozen of staff here at Oakwood Court so the profiles provide a touch of “celebrity” and public appreciation by making them known to the residents by name, by face since a photo is included and through interesting details about how they came to work here, about their families, hobbies, and special interests.

The “Local News” section is popular as it tells residents about new restaurants, food shops, etc. in the immediate vicinity of Oakwood Court. Residents are invited to submit reviews of these places. They are also invited to submit ads for our classifieds section, so they can part with unused exercise equipment, musical instruments, surplus furniture, etc.

One issue covered in detail the various leases in existence at Oakwood Court, and explained how to obtain extensions, buy back freeholds, and the best way to work with our managing agents. This issue was well appreciated by resident owners, and would-be owners.

As the editor, I am flattered to get feedback from residents who have actually read the newsletter cover-to-cover as soon as it is slipped through their mail slots. We’ve received thank you letters for our lists of safety and security tips, for “locating a wonderful babysitter”, “for producing babysitting/work opportunities” for our resident students, even some maids and cleaners who are already employed within the complex and could use the extra work.

We are hoping to generate interest amongst the residents to start a book or bridge club, or other special interest activity groups to share our passions for music, photography, painting, cooking, or whatever. For a brief period we had a toddler group meeting in the garden and in the homes of toddler parents. We hope to resurrect this idea again soon.
Recently we started profiling residents. Fashionista Trinny Woodall’s mom lives in Oakwood Court. So residents were treated in the current issue to a feature on how Trinny doesn’t dare tell her equally glamorous and formidable mom “What Not To Wear”. Nice to know someone can put the intimidating Trinny in her place! Seems she, along with her colleague Susannah Constantine, have been busy of late handing out jars of instant coffee to badly-dressed women on the street (but only in the telly advert, of course).

One resident wrote “…I have been in Oakwood Court for over 16 years and was a
member of OCRA for years, but only now I am seeing Oakwood Court becoming a community and village.” This to me is the most extraordinary result. I used to live in a similar but smaller residential complex on Queen’s Gate and during those two years never felt a sense of “kinship” with the residents. There were no summer garden parties. The porters were detached and unfriendly. It just never felt like home, whereas Oakwood Court does, for me, and for many of the over 220 families who live here.

Starting a Newsletter?
Here are some things to consider:

• Recruit an experienced resident writer as editor (ideally computer literate) who could also be part of your Board and attend Board meetings

• Establish Policies e.g. no self-advertising or self-promotion, relevance of material, original material, no lamb-basting or airing of controversial views and complaints in a non-constructive manner, and no letters to the editors (published complaints are handled via another avenue)

• Secure a core group of people to contribute regularly ready-to-go-to print material

• Decide how subscriptions will be handled (part of membership, or separately as subscription)

• Decide frequency. Originally we published every other month (6 issues a year) but dropped that to quarterly (4 issues per year)

• Locate reliable, cost-effective printer (we use Prontaprint at Notting Hill Gate)

• Establish distribution system (our porters hand-deliver ours)

Alba Foreman can be contacted on 020 7602 8813. E-mail: albamark@globalnet.co.uk