You are here:
Celebrations as we recieve a national award
Caption (from left to right): Chief Executive Helen Correy, Kendray Regeneration Team Tom Hawley and Geoff Richards being presented with the NFA runner up award by Chair Suzy Brain England
The Kendray Blueprint project, one of our partnership projects has been Highly Commended by the National Federation of ALMOs (NFA) for being one of the country’s top ‘Effective Partnerships’.
We have forged community and stakeholder partnerships with the Kendray Initiative Board, BMBC, Haslam Homes and Chevin Housing Group to improve the quality of life for all residents through physical regeneration that seeks wider benefits.
Berneslai Homes continue to take the lead role in delivering and developing the Kendray Blueprint, which is an evolving masterplan that has community consultation at its core. We have been seeking to improve the neighbourhood with new housing types that are better suited for the area’s long term sustainability. These changes are complimented with environmental works such as park facilities, remodelled allotments and improved street-scene appearances.
Our development partners are also investing skills back into the estate through apprenticeships and by using local labour and supply chains where possible. Environmental and traffic management improvements to Kendray’s major gateways and elderly persons’ bungalows are providing construction training opportunities for local people and addressing both traffic safety and fear of crime issues. Click here to view find out further details of Kendray’s physical regeneration.
These and other Blueprint projects are the driving force behind the significant improvements that have been made in the neighbourhood and the results are very positive. A recent MORI poll concluded that 96% of Kendray residents plan to remain in the area with 87% are satisfied with Kendray as a place to live, 82% want to stay in their present home long-term and so now we have healthy waiting lists for all property types. These are great advances from the situation faced in 2001 when 250 homes (14%) were empty.
The Lovell Partnerships NFA 2008 ALMO ‘Effective Partnership’ category recognised the hard work of ALMOs who are making a difference at a grassroots level. ALMOs who went above and beyond the call of duty, engaging with residents, setting up partnerships and organising projects to tackle some of the most difficult issues facing them were represented in the category. The winners of the awards were announced on 12th May 2008 at a ceremony at the Royal York Hotel, York.
Over 200 entries were received across the seven categories that made up the 2008 Awards; Most Outstanding Resident, Best Community Initiative, Best Use of Communication, Most Effective Partnership Project, Board Member of the Year, ALMO Team Member of the Year and Most Innovative Project.
The Awards were judged by an independent panel of industry experts; Roy Irwin, the Chief Inspector of Housing at the Audit Commission Housing Inspectorate; Janet Dean, the Strategic Housing Advisor for the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), Michael Gelling, Chairman of the Tenants and Residents Organisations of England (TAROE) and Steve Hale from Awards sponsors Lovell Partnerships.
Click here to view the NFA Awards 2008 Winners List.
END