Event to celebrate 100-year anniversary of estate

The 100-year anniversary of the Shelthorpe estate in Loughborough will be marked by a special celebration.

Charnwood Borough Council's event aims to showcase the history of the estate that has grown to nearly 300 homes.

Building began in 1926, after the 1919 Housing and Town Planning Act came into effect, requiring local authorities by law to provide council housing.

The event will take place at Lift Beacon Primary School on Saturday from 12:00 BST to 14:00, the council said.

The celebration will also feature food and drink stands, children's activities and live entertainment, it added.

The minority Labour-run authority said £10,000 of funding for the project to celebrate the centenary had been provided by the government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Jennifer Tillotson, lead member for housing, economic development, regeneration and town centres, said the estate had been at the "heart of the Loughborough community" for 100 years.

Anne Gray, councillor for Loughborough Outwoods and Shelthorpe, added: "This will be a fantastic event to celebrate the centenary of Shelthorpe - a place that thousands of residents call home.

"The estate has a fascinating history, and this will be a real opportunity to come together as a community, learn more about the place we live and celebrate the stories that we have uncovered over time."

As part of the centenary year, the council said the Shelthorpe Archive had been created - in partnership with Creative Initiatives CIC - to collect stories and photographs.

It said the online collection would be available this summer to read stories, anecdotes and view the archived footage from Shelthorpe.

An exhibition at Loughborough Library showcases the history of the estate until 27 July.

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