Angela George is one of our resident board members and lives in Swanley with her family. Angela has over three decades of experience in resident involvement and shares her experiences with us as we celebrate Black History Month.
The theme for 2023 is ‘Saluting our Sisters’, highlighting the crucial role black women have played in social justice, shaping history, and inspiring change in the fields of literature, music, fashion, sport, business, politics, academia, social and health care, and more. 
I moved to Swanley from London 36 years ago when I met my husband. At the time, there wasn’t as diverse a community in Swanley as there is now and we were one of the first black families in the area. I didn’t realise at the time what a rarity that was until I gave birth to my first child. One experience that sticks with me, is when friends and family visited from London taxi drivers automatically knew where they were going! Family and friends were always amazed by this, asking how I coped with being one of the only black people in the area.
My family and I educated lots of people both consciously and subconsciously by living and socialising in Swanley. Unfortunately, I encountered my fair share of racism from people in the area over the years. I’m glad to say that with time and through lots of interactions in the community, people’s perceptions have changed for the better.
Over the years friends and family came to love visiting us in Swanley and many have now moved down from London to also call this their home. Thirty years on, Swanley is a much more diverse, vibrant, and welcoming community.
As a West Kent resident, I wanted to play a part in helping to shape how decisions were made. Over the years I have been involved in many projects from community engagement activities, workshops and focus groups. I see volunteering my time back to West Kent as an investment in our community and the people who live in it. It enables me to help others in a selfless way and have a positive impact in the area I live as a parent.
I joined the scrutiny team back in 2011 (see image below from West Kent’s ‘In and Around’ Magazine from 2012). Since then, have been involved in many different projects that have reviewed and suggested improvements to services, from defects handling to compliance processes. 
In 2015, I joined the Board as a resident board member, and it has been an insightful and challenging experience. I am passionate about representing resident’s views to the Board and the Board and Executive Team. I'm a firm believer in the ethos, "no decision about me without me”.
Reflecting on Black History Month, I am incredibly proud that I worked with staff at West Kent to help develop the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Strategy and chairing the forum that helped deliver it. Over the years I have been involved, it has been great to see the organisation grow to be an even more diverse and inclusive housing provider.
Black History Month is very personal to me because of the recognition in the UK to reconnect with black peoples’ roots and to help support children and young people who are facing new and very real challenges. To me, it is about ensuring the next generation, regardless of the colour of their skin, or any of their protected characteristics can excel. It lets our children know the significant contributions that those with black heritage have made to British life and are still making.