We were newly married 40 years ago and moved into the operation house. We were the first group of people to move in Birchwood. There were still many constructions going on. Many people moved in from Manchester and Widnes. There were no buses, no train station and no shopping centre; there were just a primary school, a high school and a grocery shop. It was lovely for us. We were on holiday. Everything was developing. The reason why we moved here was my husband got a job in Warrington. And then I got a job at Warrington town. We had to go to Birchwood Way to take the bus there. We did not drive then. We could not afford a car. The Birchwood railway station was built and not long after that the Birchwood shopping centre was also built. More shops, cafes were there. We had two children. It was lovely to have the green space for the children, the park and fresh air.

I feel it is a nice place to bring up children. It is a place that most people live close for a long long time. Everyone is friendly and children grow up together. We used to do Mum and Tods groups. We went to church together. Children had Sunday School. We did many things together, such as little quizzes. The children enjoyed living in Birchwood. When they grow up and get married, they live in Birchwood. Many of us came from outside of Warrington to start a new life here in Birchwood. We may not live close to our family.

There was a telephone Kiosk that we phoned our mum and dad and told them that we were doing okay. There were no phone lines then. It was so new here. We could not believe that we were offered a three-bedroom house, when we were just married. We had not got any children yet. They planned to let people build their family here. We have been here for 43 years, this year. 

We have seen people come and go. A lot of people who have come into our lives and gone. 

All the trees outsides were short and small. I used to be able to see other people and wave at them, but now all the trees are mature and grown so tall. 

When the tennis centre was built in 1989, I started to work there in 1990 and have been part of that since then, meeting a lot of people from Birchwood. 2 

We had our open day, and Cliff Richard came to open it. We have seen millions through the door, and this year it is the Birchwood community hub, which is always like that and meant to be. 

There was one time that the village green was connected to us here, was gone to be built on. The residents all got together, ending up to save from the council from being built on by showing them our photos of children and families using it, so that they know we have been using it and they should not use the green village for build-on.

Christine from WA3