The community of Sheerwater is “fragmented but very much alive”.

Those were the words of a London professor as Sheerwater residents past and present got together to share their memories of the estate in an archive project at the Surrey History Centre earlier this week.

More than a dozen people with links to the estate took part in the ‘Sheerwater Rediscovered’ event on Wednesday (October 29) led by Dr. José-Rodrigo Córdoba-Pachón, associate professor at Royal Holloway University.

Residents were given a tour of the centre to show how their memories are being preserved and even got to see some of the original blueprints for the estate’s housing and parade before taking part in workshops and sharing memories.

José called the interviews “enriching” and wants the wider Woking area to know that Sheerwater still has a strong community ethos despite the estate’s recent woes and stumbling regeneration.

The professor said Sheerwater was historically a very tight-knit community with “friendships and relationships being a big component” in his opening presentation.

He added: “there was a spirit of looking after each other” which “was formed and maintained through sports, festivals and the church”.

Older residents agreed with participants reeling off the many youth and community groups that no longer exist.

One such resident is Linda Levey who has lived in Sheerwater for more than 40 years and used to participate in a host of activities.

In the past she lent a helping hand at the community Sunday lunch that runs once a month at St. Michael’s Church, one of the few community initiatives still running.

Linda stated that “a lot of people who lived on the estate have moved out of the area due to the failed regeneration project” with the loss of popular community hubs like the pub and cafe contributing to people moving way.

The council’s financial struggles put a halt to the regeneration in 2023 and the consensus amongst the residents is the connection between the community is depleting.

Long-time Sheerwater resident and valued community member Paul Salt hailed the importance of the ‘Sheerwater Rediscovered’ event, saying: “we’re losing our community”. He runs the Sheerwater Group on Facebook was a prominent member of the group which decorated the estate’s Christmas tree.

Faye Nolan, a resident of 12 years who works at the Asda supermarket and organises their community and charity initiatives, thinks the Facebook group “doesn’t target the people who need community the most, those that are isolated”.

She also thinks that they need a community hub where anyone in Sheerwater can pop into at any time to “have a cup of tea and a chat”.

In combination with the lived experiences of residents, the hope is that all the recollections and memories will come together to produce a living archive of Sheerwater.

The event was ultimately about preserving its history and making a collective effort to improve the community for the future, with parts of the estate now unrecognisable from the model 1960s development so many remember.