People and projects across Wales are celebrating their triumphs in this year’s annual Welsh Housing Awards.
More than 400 housing professionals gathered in Cardiff on Friday evening at the event where the winners were revealed and to celebrate best practice in Welsh housing.
Organised by Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru, the awards attracted a wider variety of entries and the standard was such that no category was a foregone conclusion.
The evening saw the official launch of the Good Practice Compendium 2016, sponsored by Housemark Wales, a full listing of every shortlisted award’s application, the outcomes and achievements, and contact details for the project lead. Made available to all it is a significant resource for housing professionals looking to initiate new projects and ideas.
It was also the first time that a Welsh Housing Award had been made by a poll of CIH members, with Cartrefi Conwy’s home partner project becoming the first ever CIH members’ choice winner.
The award winners were:
- Tenants’ Voice – First Choice Housing Association
Communications and publications award – sponsored by Welsh Housing Quarterly
- Reuse, reduce, recycle – Bron Afon with TRAC2
Collaboration award (RSL lead) – sponsored by Contract Services (South Wales) - Bringing Emmaus to Wales – Emmaus South Wales with Valleys to Coast
Collaboration award (LA/other) – sponsored by Contract Services (South Wales) - Customer culture – Cardiff Community Housing Association
Customer excellence award – sponsored by Pobl - Urban Village – Coastal Housing Group and partners
New development award – sponsored by Blake Morgan.
(Highly commended: Custom House Court – Flintshire County Council)
- Wildmill Youth Revival – Wildmill Youth Club with Valleys to Coast Housing
Empowering and involving communities award – sponsored by United Living.
(Highly commended: Our mutual – Merthyr Valleys Homes) - Little by Little – Melin Homes
New idea award – sponsored by Mi-Space UK - Cause for concern – Charter Housing Association and partners
Promoting equality, inclusion and support award – sponsored by Cardiff Metropolitan University - Leaving a legacy – Contract Services (South Wales)
Community focused contractor award – sponsored by BRC - Lyn Bond, Newydd Housing Association
Housing champions award – sponsored by Lovell - Home partner – Cartrefi Conwy
CIH members’ choice award – sponsored by Coastal Housing Group - Duncan Forbes, Mark Gardner, Anthony Whittaker
Outstanding contribution to housing in Wales – sponsored by Merthyr Valleys Homes
Kevin Howell, director of CIH Cymru, said:
‘It’s such an immense privilege for CIH Cymru to organise the Welsh Housing Awards on behalf of the sector in Wales. I’d like to personally congratulate all of the winners and shortlisted projects and people – they are driving new standards for our profession. The picture for housing can be pretty challenging at the moment, but in the good practice on show tonight we can still see the types of solutions that housing can offer – whether that’s new, simple ideas for improving the way we work, or operating at the cutting edge of innovation and development. Welsh housing is a sector that solves problems; the Welsh Housing Awards are the proof.’