• Resident Members Emailer Masthead

    The Resident Members Charter

    When residents from our Active Residents Network told us the old shareholding offer didn’t give them enough say, we listened and acted. Together, we co-created the Resident Members Charter: a powerful way to make sure your voice truly shapes our services.

    After a formal consultation in March 2025, resident shareholders gave their approval at a Special General Meeting in June.

    The Charter is our long-term promise to put resident views at the heart of decision-making. And through the Eastlight Community Gateway Circle, we’ll bring people together for activities that boost accountability, transparency, communication and inclusion, so your voice doesn’t just get heard, it drives real change.

    Log in here
  • A group of residents and Eastlight colleagues are sat around a table. They are all talking.

    What does this mean for you?

    The Charter not only builds trust and creates value and influence through meaningful resident engagement, it also ensures that residents can act as long-term custodians for Eastlight's role in the community.

    Specifically, we will:

    • Provide opportunities for residents to scrutinise performance and get involved in improving service quality
    • Provide opportunities for meaningful two-way dialogue and embedding residents’ views, ensuring that ideas and content are sourced from local communities
    • Ensure that diverse needs and preferences are considered when engaging in activities within the Eastlight Community Gateway Circle.
  • Resident holding their gold card.

    Launching the Charter

    On Tuesday, 23 September 2025, we launched the Resident Members Charter with more than 40 residents in attendance.

    During the event, resident members received their ‘Gold Cards’ as formal recognition of their role in shaping Eastlight’s future, which grants them access to a growing programme of involvement opportunities.

    Click here to sign up for your Resident Members Gold Card

The Eastlight Community Gateway Circle explained

Following a series of online and in-person workshops, plus phone calls, the following circle was created by residents. This brings together all activities into one place.

Eastlight resident, Tammy, said: "We created the circle to connect everything together, so that all the really good stuff that happens in different places in Eastlight joins up. We also wanted to improve communication, and this circle reflects something continuous, with no 'us and them'." 

Eastlight Community Gateway Circle
An older man with white hair and glasses is leaning on a metal railing which leads up to a block of flats.

Eastlight Resident Members

As an Eastlight resident, you’re invited to become a Resident Member, a simple step that opens the door to making a real impact. You’ll get your own Membership card and regular updates through the Active Residents Network newsletter, filled with chances to share your views, join activities and help shape the future of your community. We’d love to have you on board!

A group of four women are stood around a table looking at big pieces of paper which have been written on.

Scrutiny and Service Improvement Activity

Our resident-led scrutiny programme empowers Resident Members to play an active role in shaping our services. Through this initiative, the CIC will identify key areas of the business for closer examination.

Members will have the opportunity to get involved in meaningful activities, such as surveys and workshops, that explore your day-to-day experiences. Your insights will directly influence improvements and help drive real, lasting change.

Get involved here
A woman is stood on her doorstep in front of a red front door. She is holding a small yorkshire terrier in her arms.

Charter Steering Group

This passionate group of residents helped design Eastlight’s new offer and are now working side by side with Eastlight staff to bring it to life. Together, they’re making sure the Charter is more than just words by turning it into real, lasting change for our communities.

A woman is sat at a table. Her two children, a young boy to her left and young girl to her right, are stood next to her.

Active Residents Network

If you’re passionate about your home, your community and making things better, the Active Residents Network is for you. It’s open to anyone who wants to share their ideas and experiences to help shape Eastlight’s services. As a member, you’ll receive regular newsletters packed with opportunities to get involved, give feedback and help drive positive change.

Sign up to the ARN here
Eastlight's Bobby and Jo are stood with ERG Witham members who have installed a new flowerbed in their community.

Eastlight Resident Groups

Want to make a real difference in your neighbourhood? Join one of our Eastlight Resident Groups (ERGs) where residents and staff team up to improve local communities through quarterly meetings, estate walkabouts, and dedicated budgets for community projects. We currently have three groups:

  • ERG Mid – Braintree and surrounding villages
  • ERG South – Witham and surrounding villages
  • ERG North – Halstead and surrounding villages

And we’re excited to launch a new group for the Colchester area soon!

Join your local ERG here
Young resident Bobbie Town is sat on a sofa in her home. Her black and white cat is sat next to her.

Community voices

We know many residents want to be a bridge between Eastlight and their communities but often don’t get the information or support they need to play that role confidently. This is especially true in areas where Eastlight owns fewer homes. We’re working to change that, so every voice can be heard and every community can feel connected.

Become a Community Voice here
A woman in a wheelchair is speaking to a man stood next to her.

Board and Committees

Our Customer Influence Committee (CIC) puts residents at the heart of Eastlight’s decision-making. Appointed by the Board, the CIC is a part of Eastlight's Governance structure. Together, they use real insight and lived experience to make sure your voice reaches the top and helps shape not just Eastlight, but the wider housing sector. It’s a powerful way to turn your perspective into progress.

Meet the CIC here
A woman is stood next to a man in a wheelchair. They are both talking to a woman who is stood on her doorstep.

Resident communication

You told us you want better communication and we’ve listened. That’s why it’s now a key focus within the Community Gateway Circle, giving you more chances to shape how we connect with you. From the letters you receive to the pages of Shine Magazine, your voice is helping us get it right.

Get involved here
Eastlight's Debbie Mitchell and Andy Allocca are with Eastlight family Charlea and her daughter Lilly. They are all holding onto a ribbon while at an event opening the new playground.

Resident events and consultation

We host exclusive events for Resident Members to hear your views and keep you in the loop. And when big changes are proposed, you’ll be among the first to be consulted, in line with housing regulations. It’s all about making sure your voice helps shape Eastlight’s future, every step of the way.

Here's the events you can get involved with over the next few months

Want to sign up to an activity? Click here.

December 2025
  • Mid Dec - ARN Newsletter
  • Mid Dec - ARN Reasonable Adjustment Policy review
  • 9th - ERG North quarterly meeting
  • 9th - ERG South quarterly meeting
  • 10th - ERG Mid quarterly meeting

 

Sign up to an activity here

January 2026
  • 12th - Steering Group meeting
  • 15th - ARN Newsletter
  • 22nd - Complex Repairs Scrutiny Group Bootcamp (full day workshop)
  • 28th - Shine Magazine Special Edition
  • 29th - CIC meeting
  • TBC - Reviewing New Homes Strategy

Sign up to an activity here

February 2026
  • 10th - ERG South Community Walkabout
  • 12th - ARN Newsletter
  • 24th - CV Writing Skills for Residents
  • 25th – Colchester ERG Walkabout (1.30pm – 2.30pm in Greenstead)
  • TBC - Eastlight Website Review
  • TBC - ERG North and Mid Community Walkabouts
  • TBC - Customer Voice Report Published
  • TBC - Chair of the Board Recruitment - get involved with the interview process
  • TBC - New Homes Strategy Workshop

Sign up for an activity here

Coming soon
  • 30 March - Steering Group Meeting
  • April 2026 - The Big Hello - Four door-knocking events 
  • Sept 2026 - Design Guide Workshop
  • Staff welcome events
  • Internal training
  • Staff recruitment
  • Housing for Older People Events
  • Community Door Knocks

  • How you've influenced us so far:

  • Active Residents Network

    Between April 2024 and March 2025, members of our Active Residents Network gave over 680 hours of their time to help us improve. From shaping our Complaints & Resolutions Policy to testing the new customer portal before its Winter launch, they’ve been at the heart of real change. Their feedback through workshops and surveys continues to guide how we work.

  • Eastlight Resident Groups

    Resident Groups in Braintree, Witham and Halstead have been busy making a real difference by spotting issues and creating smart solutions to improve shared spaces. From new benches and planters in Braintree, to a raised flower bed in Witham and a picnic bench in Halstead, these local champions are helping make our neighbourhoods brighter, greener and more welcoming for everyone.

Please fill in the following form. If the section is marked with a *, that means you must fill it in so that we have the information we need to respond as quickly as possible.

If you need any support to complete this online form, or would rather contact us a different way, then please click here to get in touch.

Here at Eastlight, we take the protection of your data seriously. The information you provide in this form will be used to record your interest and contact you about opportunities to get involved in our resident activities. We will handle your data in accordance with our privacy notice and data protection laws. For more details on how Eastlight processes your personal data, please see out Privacy Notice here.

Sign up to become a Resident Member

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