Chingford Hall Estate, 1991 - 2001

In 1989 the Sisters of Charity conceived the idea of living in a collaborative community in a multiethnic, multifaith estate on a London estate. The estate chosen was Chingford Hall Estate and in 1992 Agatha Collopy RSM and Maeve Kelly RSC, took up residence in Spruce Court. The aims were to enable people living on the estate to look at their needs and how these could be met through participation and reflection, to open new lines of communication with various establishments and agencies, to provide immediate practical help and intervention and to contribute to the understanding of the experience of living as religious women on the estate. In May 1998 the Sisters moved to another part of the estate, St Fabian’s Tower as the estate was being redeveloped. However in June the decision was taken that Sr Maeve would stay at home to nurse her mother. This meant that another partner needed to be found to live with Sr Agatha. The collaborative element was enhanced in October 1998 when Mirta, a Columban Lay Missionary joined Sr Agatha to gain experience. In May 1999 Rose Mullan RNDM, a expressed a wish to join Sr Agatha for the last eighteen months of life on the estate and she joined her in September 1999. The project was finally brought to a conclusion at the end of October 2001, having enriched the lives of all three congregations involved.