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Date: 2nd May 2017 

Alliance boost for community spirit

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Residents of 18 Independent Living schemes managed by Stafford and Rural Homes (SARH) have been presented with a host of useful items that will help boost a sense of community spirit.

Every year, representatives from the schemes present Stafford's leading provider of affordable homes with a ‘wish list' of things they think will help bring people together.

The requests are managed by the Alliance 1500 group, made up of SARH customers and named after the £1,500 the housing association provides to support the popular community initiative.

Each scheme can ‘bid' for items up to a value of £70 and among the useful goods distributed by the Alliance this year were a George Foreman Grill and a music centre, as well as gardening equipment and kitchen utensils.

Laura MacPhee, Customer Engagement Advisor at SARH, explained: "Customers can bid for anything they think will help build community spirit in the scheme where they live.

"This could be equipment to help them stage parties, community breakfasts and other events or gardening tools to encourage residents to get out in the fresh air to improve communal areas."

The Alliance 1500 group also helps to drive community activity within the Independent Living Schemes and meets monthly to discuss issues that may have an impact on them, proving valuable feedback for SARH. This year's successful ‘bids' were announced at its most recent meeting at the housing association's headquarters in Parker Court, Stafford.

After the items were presented to scheme representatives, Jackie Holmes, Alliance 1500 Chair, commented: "We are really grateful to SARH for their generous support and all the items funded by the Alliance 1500 initiative will go a long way towards making the schemes even better places to live."

Karen Armitage, SARH Chief Executive, added: "It's a real pleasure to see the things customers have requested being put to good use when we visit the schemes and I'm sure this year's items will be well received by all."

Caption: (Pictured from left to right) Members of the Alliance 1500 group: PJ Wakefield, Pauline Ford and Christine Bailey with SARH Chief Executive Karen Armitage.

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About Stafford and Rural Homes

Stafford and Rural Homes (SARH) is the largest social landlord in Stafford with around 6,000 homes across Stafford, Stone and the rural villages across the Borough. Established in 2006 to own and manage the former Stafford Borough Council housing stock, SARH set up a trading subsidiary company Housing Worx, to deliver planned maintenance works to its properties and fulfil commercial contracts in 2012. SARH also offers 18 Independent Living schemes for people aged over 55 and an award winning Telecare home safety and personal security system for the elderly and vulnerable. SARH has invested more than £100 million on improvement and regeneration programmes and building over 500 high quality new homes for rent and shared ownership which have benefited SARH customers by improving neighbourhoods and creating job opportunities for local people. The housing association works in partnership with local authorities, health trusts, statutory bodies and a range of voluntary organisations to create safe, sustainable communities where residents can ‘Live, Work and Grow’.

Follow SARH on Twitter @SARHomes

Editor's Notes

Media contact:

Martin Farrow

CHANGEWORKS Communications
t:  + 44 (0) 1785 247588

m: +44 (0)7771 970025

e: mfarrow@changeworkscom.co.uk

Stafford and Rural Homes contact:

Mara Hargreaves
Marketing Manager

t:01785 216793 (Direct) 

m:07800 619 863 (Mobile)  

e:mara.hargreaves@sarh.co.uk