The celebrations were in full swing at Soho House in Handsworth, Birmingham as the community gathered for Eid festivities hosted by Legacy WM.  

The timing of Eid coincided with the selection of the internal features for Housing 21’s flagship cohousing scheme, Rupali Court where prospective residents were invited to review the interior design options for the scheme.  

This included the worktop designs, kitchen and bathroom tiles and doors.  

Bariful Nessa, a prospective resident of Rupali Court said: “I was happy to have the choice and that my opinion was requested for the worktops and tiles.  

“I was not expecting to have so many options to choose from, I was very pleased to be included.”

Residents have been involved throughout the process of the cohousing journey, including the naming of the scheme, the internal features and the layout.  

Rashida Khanom was one of the residents who chose the darker worktops from the options presented: “I have grandchildren who will visit regularly and having the darker surfaces helps with any spills and stains as they are easier to clean.  

“I felt very happy to be asked and given the opportunity to choose from the options.”  

Eid-Ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, a month where Muslims observe fasting and abstain from food and water from sunrise until sunset. This year’s festivities at Soho House were a testament to the strength of the local community where Local Councillor Waseem Zaffar was in attendance along with representatives from Housing 21, Legacy WM and Soho Road Business Improvement District.  

Pictured: Aftab Rahman, CEO of Legacy WM, Waseem Zaffar Councillor Lozells Ward, Dawn Carr, Cohousing Partnership Manager Housing 21, Rakesh Soni Handsworth Business Improvement District Manager 

Dawn Carr, Cohousing Partnership Manager at Housing 21 said: “We are pleased with the progress that Rupali Court has made, the prospective residents continue to remain engaged, and they enjoy the opportunity to input into the overall design and layout of their cohousing scheme.”  

Rupali Court is scheduled for completion 2026, to find out more about the cohousing scheme, visit the website: Housing 21 - Housing 21 cohousing