Julia's a good neighbour

In fact, she has won an award for tirelessly working to improve community life on the estate where she lives.

Mrs Crosbie (pictured with fellow resident Rob O'Connor) won second prize for making the most significant contribution to tenant participation, in the national TPAS (Tenant Participation Advisory Service) awards.

She has lived on the Barrackswood estate in Newport since 1993 and was nominated by residents as an "inspirational example of community spirit and participation".

Ever since becoming a tenant at Barrackswood the 33-year-old has worked tirelessly to improve the community and has attracted a great deal of funding to the area.

Julia, who lives in Sorrel Drive with her partner Paul, who is housebound, and two children, Jessica, five, and eight-year-old Sean, took over as chairman of the local tenants association two years ago.

She said: "Since then we seem to have been going from strength to strength. The other members are just as active as me, but it's still hard work.

"We've done the Prince's Trust with the kids, and Challenge Cymru, and we worked closely with CAWN (Community Action for Wildlife in Newport) for two years. "We're planning a community garden, we organise day trips and we're having a Jubilee party for the whole estate in June.

"We also had a fun day which raised £1,500 towards building a path across the field that connects us with Harlequin Drive, because in winter we can't get across it.

"We've been getting the kids off the streets and giving them something to do."

l Two other Charter Housing tenants in Gwent were also successful in the TPAS awards. Natasha Brendan, from Blackwood, and Darren Mitchell, from Twmbarlwm View, Cwmbran, accepted the Wales Communication in Housing award on behalf of all those that help produce Charter Housing's newsletter The Zone, published for young people and by young people.

Charter Housing, the Newport-based housing association, also won an award for best landlord.