Colne Housing Society, the Colchester based provider of social housing, has been shortlisted for the prominent ‘What we are proud of’ awards, organised by the National Housing Federation.

The awards aim to celebrate the many innovative schemes that housing associations develop each year, showcasing how projects are developed with the wider community in mind and the positive impact that they have both on residents and the surrounding neighbourhood they serve.

Colne has been shortlisted for its supported living scheme, Elm Tree Court in Halstead.
The development has enabled eight residents, each with learning disabilities, to move out of Nether Priors, the residential care home they had been living in, and into their own flats, which have been specifically tailored to meet their individual requirements.

As a result, residents of Elm Tree Court are now able to live independently for the first time, playing an active role within their local community, but safe in knowledge that help is at hand if needed.

On July 1st, Colne will present its entry, along with two other shortlisted associations, at the East of England finals in Newmarket. The overall regional winner will then go through to the national finals at the National Housing Federation’s annual conference in Birmingham on 23 September.

Claire Astbury, East of England regional manager for the National Housing Federation, said: “Our annual What We Are Proud of Awards are a great opportunity to shout out about some of the best projects run by housing associations in the region. Our tenant judges had to shortlist down from a large number of entries, and these three initiatives have done well to make it through to the regional heats.
Although only one of these projects can go through to the national finals they all deserve recognition for the difference they are making in their communities.”

Mark Powell Davies, Chief Executive Colne Housing Society, commented “The society is particularly proud of the Elm Tree Court development and the incredible impact it has had on the lives of its residents and the surrounding community. To have the scheme recognised at a national award level is testament to the hard work that Colne, and its partners at Essex County Council and Braintree District Council put into ensuring that the project was a success.”