People’s memories and stories of life on the Becontree Estate are being sought for a book by Dagenham MP Jon Cruddas to mark its 100th year.

Jon said: “Whether you’ve lived in Dagenham all your life or have only just moved in, I’d love to hear from you and your family about your experiences of living in and around the Becontree Estate and what the community means to you.”

The estate was a landmark social housing development that provided council homes on a scale not seen in Britain before.

The first homes were completed in November 1921. About 100,000 people moved into the purpose-built community that was revered nationally.

Now the estate is home to a diverse, multi-cultural population with 27,000 dwellings. It is the area’s sense of community which Dagenham’s representative in Parliament wants to capture in his book.

To be part of the story of the Becontree Estate go to Jon’s website joncruddas.org.uk