‘i tried to save lives in uganda... But britain’s poor need me more'

Jenny, whom some have described as having a heart as open as a hotel, adopted two Ugandan children and decided their needs would be better met if she moved back to the UK. But when she was

offered a posting in a leafy suburb she declined, wanting to be where she was most needed. No one really goes into Faxfleet, says Jenny. Drivers whizz by on the busy Manchester Road without

noticing the estate and the deep social problems that the people there are having to deal with on a daily basis. To endear herself to the locals she began singing in the street as loud as

she could to get people to come out from behind those closed doors. Faxfleet is the oldest council estate in Bradford and the second oldest in the UK. But it not unusual: there are estates

across the UK struggling with drugs, violence, lack of investment, overcrowding and dwindling services for local people. Many in Faxfleet feel they have been abandoned, that there is little

for bored teenagers to do and community bonds have long been eroded.  Those who bought their council homes found their value has plummeted. People from every corner of the world now live

here, providing issues with language barriers and cultural differences. Doors remain closed as people prefer to keep to themselves but the mountains of rubbish around the estate – with the

associated smell and vermin – cannot be ignored. Susan Seekins has lived in Faxfleet for 10 years and says: “It is getting beyond a joke here. We try to keep helping each other but it is

hard. Jenny makes a big difference. There’s no community spirit left. It’s all gone. “No one wants to know each other, they hide behind their doors. If we had that back it would be a nice

place to live.” There are many residents who work hard to improve their area and St Matthew’s Church has a space called The Cube that can be used by anyone, religious or not, as a meeting

area. Jenny also heaps praise on the local mosque, which opens its doors to improve community cohesion. She’s modest about her own achievements though: “I’m a nobody in lots of ways. We

don’t do this to make people come to church. I would obviously love people to find God but we work with all faiths and none. “We don’t want to see people just existing but to see them

thriving. The Church is about helping people find that fullness of life. And that’s what I love doing.”