Hi, my name is Christine Salmon and I am a resident of Devonport, where I have lived for about six years - but my history is all within and around Devonport.

Devonport was once thriving town of its own - steeped in history that can only surprise and surpass most people's expectations - should they care to look.

It is also home to Devonport Dockyard - at one time probably the biggest employer of people from the west country, and where most people knew if all else failed there would be work.

Devonport as it is today

It also had its own shopping centre including a market and a Woolworth's and by all accounts (from the locals that remember) an area to be proud of serving its local community.

But sadly the powers that be decided that the Dockyard was not secure enough and to compensate erected a huge wall.

The wall surrounded the Dockyard and reinforced security, but in the process Devonport lost the majority of its shops leaving only the few shops along Marlborough St.

The already deprived area of Devonport gradually became an area to be feared, as domestic and street violence erupted through lack of self-respect and education.

All you ever heard was bad press. People started to fear walking the streets - nobody would enter Devonport without being desperate.

The area was to be avoided and treated with contempt, even down to the local authority who would always send workers in groups so as not to have fear of possible attack.

Overcrowded housing led to a spiral of degradation, crime, drug abuse, vandalism and general neglect.

Christine alongside that wall

Now with the help of the New Deals money and the development of the Regeneration Company, the dockyard wall is soon to be removed.

The redevelopment of Devonport is well on its way, new properties are being developed and the old pulled down - and no it's not quite moving fast enough for everybody but you can't please everyone all of the time.

The Devonport reputation is on the up, now when you say where you live all you hear is 'they're doing good things there aren't they?' I like to answer 'yes we are.'

The community, with the help and assistance of Devonport Regeneration Company are doing good things for Devonport. And lets face it - nobody else was going to do it for us were they?