Southern Housing

"Everyone deserves to be who they want to be without judgement or discrimination, so I'll always be an advocate for this and also an ally for anyone who needs it." It's #SouthAsianHeritageMonth and we're celebrating the theme 'Free to be me', highlighting the beauty of embracing and expressing your true self. Our Graphic Designer,Jasmeet Rajbans BA tells us what this means to her. ➡️Read her blog, and find out more about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Southern Housing, here: https://lnkd.in/eFppytTy #SouthernHousing #FreeToBeMe #EqualityandDiversity #OneTeam

We’ve won our first Green Flag Community Award following our support at the Bob Fowler Community Allotment in #Swale, Kent. The Green Flag Award scheme recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces. It sets the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world. Kerry Beluga Briffitt, Biodiversity and Sustainability Lead, said: "We were keen to support the application of a Green Flag Community Award due to the hard work and dedication by the volunteer plot holders. Over the past ten years, Bob Fowler’s Community Allotment has flourished from the efforts of our residents and community and is a hidden oasis that offers opportunities to increase the local biodiversity and boost health and wellbeing and sustainable food growing." Bob Fowler, a former employee of a legacy Southern Housing organisation, launched the community allotment in 2013, transforming a flytipping site into a peaceful area for the local community to enjoy. He worked alongside Swale Borough Council , Skillnet Limited and Kent County Council to bring the project to fruition. Sadly, Bob passed away in 2012, before he could see the allotment develop into what it is today and the site was named in his honour. Winning the Green Flag Award is a significant milestone and is down to all the hard work and collaboration of staff and volunteers. We’re also grateful to JB Landscape for sponsoring the project through social value. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eiaRwwH4 #SouthernHousing #GreenFlag #CommunityAllotment #Biodiversity #Sustainability #GreenerFutures #OneTeam

We're facing a climate emergency: the State of Nature Report 2023 shows wildlife in England is rapidly declining. As one of the largest housing providers in the UK, we recognise our role in reversing this decline. That's why we've launched the Biodiversity Pathway to 2030, which outlines how we're going to support at risk local wildlife - including the Swift. 🐦 We've already started to take action - installing 'Swift bricks' at one of our Independent Living schemes in Battle to give the birds a place to nest. 🧱 For more information, visit our website 👉 https://lnkd.in/eYq3BYGW #SouthernHousing #Sustainability #Biodiversity #Swifts

What do swifts, stag beetles and brown long-eared bats have in common? Before you start racking your brains, the answer is they’re among 30 species we’re looking to help which feature in Southern Housing’s newly launched Biodiversity Pathway to 2030 document. But what is this document and why are we doing it? Karin Stockerl DPhil MCIOB, Executive Director of Assets and Sustainability, explains in Inside Housing: ➡ https://lnkd.in/e6NucseV #SouthernHousing #ukhousing #Biodiversity #climateemergency #sustainability

At Southern Housing, our culture is at the heart of everything we do. ⚽ We're celebrating diversity, working together as one team, cheering on England this Sunday! #SouthernHousing #OneTeam #EqualityandDiversity #Euros2024 #ComeonEngland #ItsComingHome

Our student accommodation Goldsmiths House is shortlisted for Best Specialist Housing at the Global Student Living Awards! 🏆 We also received a Silver certificate from GSLI (Global Student Living Index), with several of our student properties recognised: • Goldsmiths House – Silver • Helen Graham House – Silver • Park House – Silver • Platt Hall – Gold • Usher Hall – Silver • Wood Green Hall – Silver • Writtle House – Gold These awards highlight our commitment to quality, value for money, and care & support. A huge congratulations to the team for the nomination, fingers crossed for the award ceremony on 17 October! 🎉 You can learn more about the recognition and award nomination here https://lnkd.in/eRF5dRnE 👈 #SouthernHousing #GSLAwards #Certificate #StudentAccomodation #Recognition #LondonStudents

We've teamed up with Southwark Council and local charities to provide fresh and low-cost food, as well as other money saving services to residents of their Dawson Heights estate in East Dulwich. The aim of this initiative is to support local residents who are struggling with food poverty as well as to strengthen community bonds. Every Wednesday, a community fridge offers residents access to affordable fresh, frozen and cupboard food. Supported by Hubbub (UK) Limited, The Felix Project , and the Albrighton Community Centre , the fridge has already served over 1,700 households in the last year and demand is growing. A renovated milk float, in partnership with Be Enriched and Southwark Council, also brings low-cost fruit and vegetables to the estate on Thursdays. This float is joined bi-weekly by the Public Health Vital 5 van, providing free health checks. Amy Washbrook , Food Project Coordinator for Southern Housing, said: “We recognise the powerful role food plays in strengthening our communities. I’m working with and for residents who’ve lived in the same block but feel isolated from neighbours. They meet at the community fridge and are now good friends. People turn up over an hour early just to sit and chat with neighbours. We’re connecting and bringing residents together”. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eMstU95T #SouthernHousing #UKHousing #FoodPoverty #CommunityFridge #MoneySupport #HealthSupport #DawsonHeights #Dulwich #London

Many of the underlying drivers for recent service charge increases – supply chain inflation, building insurance and rising building safety costs – are outside housing associations’ immediate control. But that mustn’t become an excuse to pass the buck. We need to think creatively about what more we can do to insulate residents from inflationary pressures. And do all in our power to ensure our charges are transparent and offer our residents value for money. Our CEO Paul Hackett CBE discusses in more detail in his latest blog with Housing Today: ➡ https://lnkd.in/egndWY5e #SouthernHousing #HousingToday #UKHousing #ServiceCharges #ValueForMoney

We’re pleased to see The Oare Community Orchard project in Kent has been highly commended for the Biodiversity and Nature Award at this week’s Unlock Net Zero awards. 🏆 This project brings sustainable benefits to the local community with a new 800-litre water tank ensuring the healthy growth of 13 fruit trees and a thriving orchard ecosystem. 🌳💧 A special thanks to Axis Europe and our Sustainability & Social Impact Teams for making this possible. The new wooden shelter with a sloping roof and guttering is a welcoming space for residents year-round. 🏡🌿 Find out more here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eaQix6yJ #UnlockNetZero #Biodiversity #Sustainability #CommunityHousing #SouthernHousing

We reached new heights at our Evelyn House development in #Greenwich last week with a topping-out ceremony to celebrate the highest point of the building’s structure being completed.   To mark this significant milestone, we were joined by Cllr Jit Ranabhat, Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Cllr Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Cllr Jo van den Broek, Ward Councillor for Charlton Village and Riverside, to help pour the final section of cement on the sixth floor of the building.    The scheme in partnership with the Mayor of London, the Royal Borough of Greenwich and The Hill Group is due to complete in early 2025 and will deliver 67 much-needed affordable homes and two commercial units to Charlton Riverside.   Our Chief Executive, Paul Hackett CBE, said: ‘‘Evelyn House helps showcase the vital role housing associations play in building new affordable homes. The homes are a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments for affordable rent, meaning we’re providing secure, and modern homes to residents in housing need within the borough. We’re hopeful that with housing as such an important issue leading into the general election, housing associations such as Southern Housing will be recognised, and fully supported, as part of the solution to the current housing crisis facing the country”. #SouthernHousing #UKHousing #AffordableHomes #NewDevelopment #BuildingHomes