Castle Vale Community Housing Association wins top award

Oct 16 2008 Submitted by Peter Richmond

RESIDENT-led Castle Vale Community Housing Association has just scooped a major national award for its outstanding work with the local community.

It has won the high-profile Housing Deliverer of the Year prize in the national Regeneration and Renewal magazine awards, where it competed with other housing associations and also house builders and developers.

Compared with many other entrants for the awards, CVCHA is a small organisation, employing 85 staff and managing 2500 homes on Castle Vale , but the judges clearly felt that it had nonetheless had a significant impact in improving the lives of local residents.

The judges were particularly impressed with the range and quality of community development and support services provided.

These include health projects in areas such as sexual health, substance abuse and healthy eating, a wide range of activities for local young people, and proven reductions in local crime and anti-social behaviour due to CVCHAs Community Warden Team and an excellent partnership with local police.

The judges also commended the work of the Castle Vale Neighbourhood Partnership Board, hosted by CVCHA, which brings together local people and statutory agencies to drive forward improvements on the Estate.

One of the judges, David Ireland, Chief Executive of the Empty Homes Agency commented:

"The lives of people living in CVCHA's properties have been improved through better facilities. Whatever their needs, they were being addressed. Development is genuinely rooted in the community.

Peter Richmond, CVCHA Chief Executive, said: "We are all delighted. This has been a real opportunity for us to show the outside world some of the excellent work that goes on in Castle Vale, and above all, how the estate has been transformed into an attractive, safe neighbourhood where people are proud to live and where we are proud to work."