Gloucester City Homes have celebrated becoming an independent social landlord, no rx after the Housing Stock Transfer from Gloucester City Council in March 2015, with a mix of community events and an official launch at Kingsholm Stadium with VIP guests.
CEO Ashley Green spent Thursday 23rd April meeting both GCH tenants and the public at themed celebration events in Gloucester; the following day he hosted the official launch event for staff and guests at Kingsholm Stadium.
The community events that GCH staff staged ranged from a healthy brunch and activities for children, to afternoon tea and a quiz, with Ashley Green visiting all of them, sometimes accompanied by the GCH Dragon and two busy bees who were popular with the children!
The official launch for staff and invited guests including VIPs, tenants and staff featured key speakers David Orr (Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation) and Jenny Eastwood (Editor of the Citizen Newspaper in Gloucester).
David Orr said that becoming a housing association was a bold move and housing was needed now, but it was also vital that there is future housing built. He finished by congratulating GCH saying that everyone was voting for a positive ambitious future, and he had no doubt GCH would deliver in the future and would exceed expectations.
Ashley Green finished with a presentation, thanking the Board, tenants, consultants and staff who had all worked hard towards GCH becoming an independent social landlord, so the organisation can now invest in regeneration and providing social housing; the plans for the new houses were on display.
GCH Chief Executive Ashley Green adds: “This is an exciting new beginning for GCH. We of course continue to invest in our existing stock but recognise the urgent need for more affordable housing, which the new GCH can provide, with building starting in the next few weeks”