Sections
Our members
Engagement Heroes
Celebrating the tenant and resident volunteers nominated by our landlord members. Every card opens their full nomination story.
Body
Engagement Heroes Volunteer Recognition Scheme
Our engagement scheme is about celebrating the work of tenants/residents/customers across the country who give their time up to make a difference to housing services, communities, and people.
So, whether it's holding landlords to account, improving services, being a community champion or simply being that kind of person who makes the day brighter for others, why not nominate them to receive our Volunteer Recognition Certificate.
About the Scheme
- Nominations must be made by a Tpas landlord member using our official form.
- Landlords can nominate any type of volunteer – they do not have to be tenants. They just need to be involved with, or connected to, the Landlord and their local communities.
- The scheme does not involve any judging or checking that pre-set criteria has been met. If landlords think a tenant/resident/customer deserves to be celebrated then that’s good enough for us, and we will award them the certificate.
- This is an ongoing open nomination process taking place with no deadline for making nominations.
- Those nominated will be featured on the engagement heroes page of our website, and may also be posted on our social media platforms too. Please therefore check that they are comfortable with any accompanying publicity.
- Certificates will be emailed as a PDF for Landlords to complete and print.
- Landlords can nominate as many volunteers as they wish throughout the year, but each will need their own nomination form.
How to nominate
It’s easy to nominate someone, please just complete this online form.
If you have any questions, contact Lisa Holt on membership@tpas.org.uk
Which list
Theresa Phillips
Organisation
Wolverhampton Homes
Nomination story
Theresa is an active and highly respected member of the Tenants and Residents Association, a committed Tenant Board Member, and a valued participant in the Customer Involvement Panel. Across these roles, she consistently demonstrates dedication, enthusiasm, and a genuine passion for improving housing services.She plays a key role in supporting Wolverhampton Homes with engagement activities, ensuring that tenants’ voices are heard, understood, and reflected in decision-making. Theresa regularly goes above and beyond, contributing her time to meetings, consultations, and community initiatives with a positive and constructive approach.Importantly, Theresa’s influence extends beyond her formal roles. She actively supports and encourages other tenants to get involved, helping to build confidence and strengthen participation across the community. She is approachable, knowledgeable, and always willing to share her experience to support others.Her commitment has made a meaningful and lasting difference to both the organisation and the wider tenant community. Theresa is a fantastic example of the power of tenant involvement
Sort order
0
Hero type
Board/panel member
Sort position
0
Tenant Voice
Organisation
Stoke on Trent City Council
Nomination story
The Tenant Voice are an independent tenant and leaseholder led group of volunteers who investigate and scrutinise Stoke on Trent City Council Housing Policies, performance data and Services. The group is chaired by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning and is attended by Directors and Heads of Service.The Tenant Voice are the voice of over 600 involved tenants and represent the many scrutiny groups including Allocations, ASB, Building and Fire Safety, Complaints, Customer Experience, Editorial, Estate Management, Repairs, Planned Maintenance and Void standards.The group scrutinise, make recommendations to improve services; work extremely hard to change service provisions, hold us to account, add value to governance, review policies, carrying out mystery shopping, offering valuable feedback and input to positively change our Policies and Service delivery.Over the last year, a governance process is in place to share their recommendations to Senior Management for feedback. Their work has included changing the culture of involvement, reshaping our Tenant Engagement Strategy, included a summary version, additional policy changes, repairs service standards and introduced branding f
Sort order
10
Hero type
Resident group
Tony Simons
Organisation
Colchester Borough Homes
Nomination story
Tony Simons has been an outstanding Tenant Inspector, consistently demonstrating dedication to supporting scrutiny and driving positive change within Colchester Borough Homes (CBH). His commitment to transparency and performance improvement is evident through his strong working relationships with both the Board and senior management, enabling effective communication.Tony has actively contributed to various engagement opportunities, including the Resident Panel, where his input has been invaluable His contributions and consistent presence have helped shape service delivery and ensure tenant voices are heard and respected.
Sort order
20
Hero type
Board/panel member
Sheila King
Organisation
Canterbury City Council
Nomination story
Sheila has been involved in our Resident Engagement Panel for over 31 years. Over those years she has held many roles and is currently Chair. She very rarely misses a meeting, is brilliant at keeping everyone engaged during meetings. She always gives her all, committing time before and after meetings for reading paper work, suggested new ideas of how the council can improve and helping fellow engaged tenants. We want to thank her for all of the time and hard work she has given to Canterbury City Council.
Sort order
30
Hero type
Board/panel member
Alan Rogers
Organisation
Bassetlaw District Council
Nomination story
Alan is a fantastic advocate for tenants living on his estate and in the wider village where he lives. Alan helps to provide advice, information and support to tenants and has helped the Tenant Engagement team to establish a well attended monthly forum in the village.
Sort order
40
Hero type
Tenant volunteer
Lynda Ridgeway
Organisation
Bassetlaw District Council
Nomination story
Lynda is a member of a committee on one of our Tenants and Residents Associations. Lynda does a fantastic job supporting the members of the TRA, she plans trips, shares information and has helped to create a hub for social inclusion in her community.
Sort order
50
Hero type
Community champion
Peter Bush
Organisation
Bassetlaw District Council
Nomination story
Peter is a kind elderly gentleman living in a block on flats on one of our estates. Every week Peter puts the bins out and collects them in for all residents in the building, without being asked or asking for reward. We feel this act of kindness to his neighbours should be recognised.
Sort order
60
Hero type
Tenant volunteer
Tanice Ellis
Organisation
Bassetlaw District Council
Nomination story
Tanice has tried to set up a Tenants and Residents Association for her estate and has done lots of work to bring the community together to try and make this happen.
Sort order
70
Hero type
Community champion
Kelly Fletcher
Organisation
Bassetlaw District Council
Nomination story
Kelly has been a voice for her local community, helping to address issues on her estate and having tenant voices heard. Kelly is also a member of our Scrutiny Panel and has given valuable contributions to the group.
Sort order
80
Hero type
Board/panel member
Jill Lockwood
Organisation
Bassetlaw District Council
Nomination story
Jill is one of our longest serving involved tenants, having been involved with Bassetlaw District Council and previously A1 Housing for over 10 years. Jill is very knowledgeable which she brings to all the groups she is involved with.
Sort order
90
Hero type
Tenant volunteer
Karen Smitton
Organisation
Dover District Council
Nomination story
Karen is an active member of the Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group, she rarely misses a meeting as is always willing to help and turn up to lots of different initiatives we do. Karen spreads the word about tenant engagement to any other residents she comes into contact with and is always willing to help find new members to join in. Whilst being a wonderful asset in formal meetings, Karen is a pillar of her community too, always prepared to stand up and speak on behalf of her estate and solve any issues that arise.
Sort order
100
Hero type
Community champion
Nancy Mukoro
Organisation
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Nomination story
Nancy has become a very active Community ambassador in Richmond over the last 18 months. She is very keen to build involvement and ensure that everyone across the borough has a chance to be involved. This has meant she has spent a lot of time running drop-ins at her local community centre, building contacts and signposting local residents to get issues resolved.She has been very open to working with residents from different landlords and building involvement by encouraging others to get involved. Nancy is also active with her landlord being a leader in their new scrutiny work and challenging them to deliver more for residents. She has built relationships with representatives of the voluntary sector and ensured they become more aware of life on the social housing estates across the borough. Nancy works hard with other Ambassadors to ensure that issues are dealt with promptly and that residents know there is support out there.
Sort order
110
Hero type
Community champion
Geri Cox
Organisation
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Nomination story
Geri has been the leader of her local community for some years and has been a relentless fighter in getting things sorted across her estate which has had problems in repairs and anti-social behaviour. Geri has been an active Community Ambassador working hard to get repairs sorted and other agencies to be more responsive about the issues that are important to her neighbours. She doesnt get disheartened when things take time and has been instrumental in getting local councillors active across the estate.She has plans to rebuild the local community through relaunching the local residents association, building a campaign for a local community centre to open up more opportunities for local people. She spends a lot of time reaching out to other communities and has become a presence with local business and other parts of the community.
Sort order
120
Hero type
Community champion
Joan Swift
Organisation
Paragon Asra Housing
Nomination story
Joan is one of our two PA Ambassadors and has been involved with PA for 15 years. Her Neighbourhood Coordinator suggested she become a Resident Champion for her scheme 15 years ago. As she has been very successful in her role as a Resident Champion, last year she worked with the Resident Involvement team to deliver a presentation followed by a workshop to the entire Neighbourhood team to support them in developing the role of their locally engaged residents.Since then, she has sought out further involvement opportunities. Joan still loves being involved and is always eager to take part in new involvement initiatives. Joan is passionate about ensuring residents have their say, being the voice for residents who may not be able to speak up themselves and is keen to make a difference to other residents’ lives. She works hard to make sure she gets it right for other residents.She diligently works in partnership with us to improve our services for the benefit of all residents. While she challenges us where she feels she needs to, she is also an advocate for the good work we are doing and strives to continue working tirelessly alongside us! She recently told us “I love the feeling I get w
Sort order
130
Hero type
Tenant volunteer
Catherine Pickering
Organisation
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Nomination story
Catherine is a committed and passionate involvement advocate who is a Community ambassador in Richmond working across the Borough. This involves Catherine working with and supporting residents across the Borough's different landlords to promote involvement, make sure the residents' voice is heard and that they have the chance to affect the decisions that are made in their local communities. Catherine is also active with her landlord and uses that experience to help her make decisions with the Community Ambassadors. She regularly gives her time to help others, through walking with them on estate inspections, attending public meetings to represent the ambassadors or trying to recruit new members to become involved both locally and across the Borough. She is a very thoughtful and engaged resident who is good at seeing the bigger picture in housing while working to solve peoples' local problems. Catherine has become a natural leader of the project, and is not frightened of leading a group of ambassadors in working with their landlord to secure improvements. She has played an integral role in helping the project grow and proving it's importance across the borough. It is a major reason t
Sort order
140
Hero type
Community champion
Alisa Winder
Organisation
Alliance Homes
Nomination story
Alliance Homes would like to nominate Alisa Winder for this award as she have become a central part of of our newly increasing engagement program. Alisa is a fairly new tenant to social housing in the grand scheme of things but she is now an active scrutiny panel member who has volunteered her precious time away from a busy family of a husband and three children who all have extra needs to be involved in that panel and many of the engagement opportunities here at Alliance. She has helped to shape our new scrutiny objectives by working with an outside consultant to create a new engagement approach, she has shared good practice by writing celebratory blogs to highlight the value and worth of customer engagement, she has worked with us on a panel to help us chose grant bid funding for local communities where her knowledge and understanding of community groups were a huge benefit to us, and she often attends community events to represent engaged customers and advocate getting involved, all while also being a voice for her neighbours and minority groups. In any engagement session she will challenge Alliance appropriately in a fair, constructive and proportionate way. She is always very
Sort order
150
Hero type
Board/panel member
Royston Thomas
Organisation
Gloucester City Homes
Nomination story
In recognition of Mr Royston Thomas, 90 years old, of Broom House. Roy and his daughter Sharon arrange events at the scheme, for example a Hawaiian evening last year which was so creative with ukulele band too. It was lovely to see people laughing and enjoying the event. Roy provides (with daughter Sharon who holds a food hygiene certificate) twice weekly breakfast clubs for residents, and also they provide a once a month Sunday roast dinner. If people cannot afford to pay they are still welcomed. The local community are also welcome to attend. Roy also maintains the front communal garden where he has put in electrics (signed off by GCH) to enable him to provide the Christmas lights and many of the community come by to see them. I am also aware that Roy/Sharon have previously provided Easter egg hunts and games for the local children. Roy provides a way for people to regularly share a hot meal in company, helping to prevent isolation for people and bring Broom House Residents and the community together.
Sort order
160
Hero type
Community champion
Maureen Bristow
Organisation
Hull City Council
Nomination story
After the formation of the Tenants’ Forum in 2004, Maureen was elected as the very first Chair of the Forum and has also been elected as the most recent Chair, so a nice round circle. Maureen has been involved in a number of key activities with the Housing Service, and she is an advocate of “grassroots” level tenant involvement. Maureen has contributed valuable feedback to a number of projects, some of which include the conversion of one-bedroom bungalows to form a sleep over room, the Housing Academy (which is a 14-week course for tenants and staff), as well as a number of Scrutiny Panel inspections. Maureen has represented Hull City Council’s Housing Service at a number of conferences, including the Housing 2024 Conference in Manchester, where she took part in a panel on how tenant board members can add value to the governance of an organisation. Locally in Hull, Maureen is playing an active part in representing the voice of tenants at the Neighbourhoods and Housing Service Improvement Board (which is attended by Directors and Senior Management, along with the Chief Executive and the Portfolio Holder), as well as the Council’s Communities, Culture and Leisure Scrutiny Commission.
Sort order
170
Hero type
Board/panel member
Nigel Lambert
Organisation
Incommunities
Nomination story
Nigel has been a tenant of Incommunities for over 40 years and is actively involved in our customer voice initiatives, regularly attending consultations and scrutiny exercises to ensure that the voice of our customers is heard and incorporated into our projects, initiatives, and policy changes. He is also involved in our Building Safety Group and is incredibly passionate about the safety of his neighbours and other customers in the community. Nigel has an excellent working relationship with his Neighbourhood officer and regularly provides the Neighbourhood team with reports and updates regarding community safety, building safety and repairs in his block and wider community. Nigel is an advocate for his community and takes pride in his community, he is friendly, approachable and his concern and commitment to the improvement of his home, the lives of his neighbours and the wider community is visible whenever you engage with him.
Sort order
180
Hero type
Tenant volunteer
Sort position
0
Pam Hankinson
Organisation
South Yorkshire Housing Association
Nomination story
Where do I start with Pam? Well, quite simply, she is amazing. I know Pam best for the fantastic contributions she has made over the years as a scrutineer, always giving 110% to every exercise, holding SYHA to account and wanting us to be the best we can be. Pam wears many hats now, Customer Board Member, MRC, and Customer Panel Member and is fully dedicated to every role. She also doesn’t like to say no!Pam is always there to help and support others, and I know she did this during lockdown when she contacted other SYHA customers who may have been struggling or vulnerable. Her empathy, kindness and sparkle must have made so much difference to their lives during such a difficult time.Pam is like a ray of sunshine when she walks into a room (she also looks fabulous!) and will tell everybody how much she loves SYHA, and we love her equally in return. Thank you, Pam, for all you do for SYHA.
Sort order
190
Hero type
Resident group
Debbie Stephens
Organisation
Manchester City Council Housing Services
Nomination story
Debbie has been a pivotal member of the Dam Head Tenants and Residents Group for many years.Over the past couple of years following COVID restrictions Debbie's dedication to get the group back up and running has not gone unnoticed. Debbie has worked hard as Chair of the group to ensure that the surrounding community have been provided with the necessary support, community initiatives , events and activities for all ages and has become a real rock within her neighbourhood.Debbie has been faced with various personal challenges over the years but has never ceased to provide support to surrounding neighbours and assist many people in dealing with their own personal issues.Debbie successfully runs events through the year for local Children and every year without fail organises a Christmas party for senior residents whom are socially isolated.Debbie's determination to enhance community spirit within her neighbourhood is amazing and without her involvement and support the community would solely miss her.
Sort order
200
Hero type
Board/panel member
Nicola Harper
Organisation
Rotherfed
Nomination story
I am writing to enthusiastically nominate Nicola for the volunteer Award. Their dedication to the residents of Swinton and the wider Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council area is truly exceptional.Nicola consistently demonstrates a deep commitment to improving the lives of others through active participation and proactive initiatives. Their contributions are multifaceted and have made a tangible difference within our community.Nicola has actively participated in multiple RMBC Panels and dedicates significant time and effort to attending and contributing to multiple RMBC tenant panels. Their insightful feedback and willingness to engage in constructive dialogue have been invaluable in shaping council policies and services.Nicola has Established and Runs a Community Group to Combat Social Isolation: Recognizing the prevalence of social isolation and loneliness within our community, Nicola took the initiative to establish and run a community group. This group provides a vital social outlet for residents, fostering connections and building a sense of belonging.Reduced Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Through Holiday Activities Nicola has directly addressed the issue of ASB by organizing an
Sort order
210
Hero type
Community champion
Jordan Hart
Organisation
Rotherfed
Nomination story
I am writing to enthusiastically nominate Jordan for this Award. Jordan has consistently demonstrated an exceptional commitment to improving his community and enhancing the tenant experience. Their dedication and proactive approach have made a significant positive impact on Tenant engagement.Jordan has Actively Participated in Tenant Panels and Focus Groups Jordan is a regular and valuable contributor to tenant panels, consistently providing insightful feedback and constructive suggestions. They actively participate in focus groups designed to improve council services, ensuring that tenant voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes.Championed Community Issues: Jordan is a true champion for our community, diligently bringing forward issues that affect residents to the appropriate channels for change. Supported Mental Health Initiatives: Demonstrating a deep commitment to the well-being of others, Jordan actively volunteers at a local community group that supports individuals with mental health issues. Through facilitating talking sessions and exercise programs, they provide invaluable emotional support and promote physical wellness.Actively Participated in Communit
Sort order
220
Hero type
Community champion
Neil O'Donnell
Organisation
Wigan Council
Nomination story
Neil is a Housing Advisory Panel. I am nominating Neil because he is amazing and what he does and always goes above and beyond in his role. Neil is always happy to help with anything and we really appreciate all of his hard work and support. Neil is very knowledgeable and is passionate about the tenants voice being heard and helping to shape housing services. Thank you Neil for all that you do and all that you support with. We value your time and knowledge!
Sort order
230
Hero type
Tenant volunteer
Ellen Rhind
Organisation
Wigan Council
Nomination story
Ellen is one of our valued Housing Advisory Panel members. A tenant herself she sits on the board and acts as tenant representative, and specifically advicates for our sheltered scheme tenants. From scrutinising our services and championing for positive change to ensures that the voice of our tenants are at the heart of everything. Ellen has helped influence new ways of working so that tenants receive better fair and inclusive services by holding Wigan Council as landlords to account.
Sort order
240
Hero type
Board/panel member
David Ward
Organisation
Wigan Council
Nomination story
David is our newest recruit to the Housing Advisory Panel after signing up as an involved tenant at one of our regular Meet the Team Events in Autumn 2024 and quickly progressed onto HAP due to his high level involvement in a short space of time. David recently organised a pop-up event for local residents, this has directly led to improvements such as clearer parking spaces and better accessibility in his area. By working closely with the Tenant Voice and Engagement Team, and local councillors David has made a real difference in the community. David's journey to date has allowed us to showcase how empowering individuals can lead to meaningful change for both them and their communities. David really is a star tenant!
Sort order
250
Hero type
Community champion
Nigel Hennerley
Organisation
The Regenda Group
Nomination story
Nigel Hennerley has been a dedicated volunteer for several years with Regenda, making a significant impact in his role as the Vice Chair of the Resident Voice Panel. Nigel's unwavering commitment ensures that every resident's voice is heard and holds Regenda accountable with integrity and passion. Nigel's tireless efforts extend beyond his primary role. He actively supports the Scrutiny Panel and Customer Feedback Panel and participates in numerous consultations. His dedication to continuous learning is evident as he attends various training sessions, events, conferences, and networking opportunities to deepen his understanding of housing issues and resident concerns. Nigel's enthusiasm is infectious. He brings a wealth of knowledge and energy to every activity he undertakes. As a true ambassador for resident involvement, Nigel encourages both tenants and leaseholders to engage with Regenda's involvement opportunities. His work ensures that every resident has a voice and that their contributions lead to positive change.
Sort order
260
Hero type
Resident group
Tom Dalton
Organisation
Wigan Council
Nomination story
Tom is one of our Tenant Housing Advisory Panel members and has been in this role for a number of years. Tom is a huge support and has been instrumental in influencing change within Wigan Council services particularly in a scrutiny that was carried out within the caretaking service which resulted in many changes that had a positive impact of both tenants and staff moving forward. Tom is currently supporting with the vulnerabilities strategy amongst other things. Tom continues to challenge Wigan Council and champions change for the better.
Sort order
270
Hero type
Board/panel member
Ray Semple
Organisation
Torus 62 Ltd
Nomination story
Ray has been an involved tenant for many years and has contributed to our Tenants Complaints Panel, Scrutiny Panel and Tenants Inspections during this time. Ray's confidence has grown and following Tpas Chair Training he has recently been elected Chair of the Tenants Editorial Panel by his fellow tenant members. Ray is well regarded by tenants and officers alike and has quickly set a high standard for the panel and has been clear in his expectations of officers and panel members. He is professional, always prepared and ensures his panel is run efficiently and effectively for the best outcomes for all tenants. He would love his contributions to be recognised during the upcoming event.
Sort order
280
Hero type
Board/panel member
Peter Jeurges
Organisation
Plus Dane
Nomination story
Peter is a member of Plus Danes Customer Assurance Panel having previously been a member of the Scrutiny Panel. He has been involved in carrying out reviews with staff and other customers. Peter has previously been a Board member and is currently a member of the National Ombudsman Group for tenants. He has been involved at different levels for over 20 years and keeps himself informed and updates on current Housing issues by attending conferences and webinars. Peter has helped make a real difference and improve services for customers.
Sort order
290
Hero type
Board/panel member
Shaf Choudhary
Organisation
Plus Dane
Nomination story
Shaf is a member of the Customer Assurance Panel and has been actively involved with panels for over 20 years. He has been involved in carrying out in depth scrutiny exercises, carrying out surveys and helped produce reports. He is also a advocate for his local neighbourhood and supports his local community so they have their voice heard in Plus Dane. He has also helped with EDI consultations across the Merseyside region. Shaf is a pleasure to work with and a great team player. His contributions have helped us improve services and change things in PD to make it a better place for our customers.
Sort order
300
Hero type
Community champion
Iris Clements
Organisation
Tamworth Borough Council
Nomination story
Iris has been involved in scrutinising council services for over 18 years and has served as chair of our tenant consultative group for many of those. She has been dedicated in helping shape services and participates in many of our groups and events, helping to encourage others in the community to also join in. Iris's commitment to the groups and the council is simply amazing. We would like to recognise her for her many years of service.
Sort order
310
Hero type
Board/panel member
Mary Harrison
Organisation
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Nomination story
Mary has been an active Community ambassador in Richmond since 2021, and has been proactive in supporting and developing the role across all the landlords. She has been active with her own landlord for some years, but now works tirelessly to promote engagement for people with disabilities, and those who live away from the main estates in the Borough. Mary is involved with the voluntary sector in the Borough and played a crucial role in ensuring that the repairs problems across all landlords was highlighted. She gives to the Council's Community Ambassador project on a regular basis - chairing meetings, contributing to policy work and by attending the council's Housing Committee as an expert witness. This has become a crucial avenue for making sure residents' views are in the mainstream discussions. She does all this with good humour, while managing commitments in her own life. She is an advocate for being involved - and has often spoken about how it has helped her to grow. She uses this skill to be a welcoming and supportive mentor for new Ambassadors. At heart though Mary is all about building a community in Richmond where everyone can have a say and feel valued.
Sort order
320
Hero type
Board/panel member
St Leger Homes
Organisation
One Voice Forum (OVF)
Nomination story
Sharon, Michael, Ann, Darren, James, Kathleen, Pauline, Rita, Roberta, Valentina, Isiasha, James, Brian.The One Voice Forum was established in late 2022 and is an engagement forum for tenants and TARA representatives for consultation and discussion on service delivery and key strategic and policy changes. The One Voice Forum meets every 6 weeks and for those who can’t make the meetings have an opportunity to input through focus groups and surveys. The One Voice Forum has had a positive impact and has already had an input into 30 consultations such as Housing Management Policy, Tenancy Agreement, Repairs Policy, Tenant Voice Charter, Customer Access Strategy, Corporate Plan, Damp, Mould and Condensation Policy and Website Review to make sure that we are providing housing services that meet customer needs and are delivered to the highest standard. Both the Tenant Scrutiny Panel and One Voice Forum received training from Tpas in March this year to gain a better understanding of their roles and continue to make a positive difference for tenants and meet the new requirements of the new consumer standards.
Sort order
330
Hero type
Resident group
Mike Francis
Organisation
Platform Housing Group
Nomination story
Mike Francis has recently stepped down as the Chair of the Scrutiny Panel at Platform Housing Group after nearly 6 years in post. Mike had previous experience of scrutiny and wanted to continue to help other customers benefit from change and improvement in Platform's service delivery. Mike demonstrated strong leadership and a commitment to the role. He mentored and supported new members and those with not so much experience to achieve the aims of the panel. We would like to send a special thanks to Mike Francis for all his hard work as Chair of the Panel since it was formed and his continued commitment to ensuring there is a strong Scrutiny Panel here at Platform.
Sort order
340
Hero type
Resident group
Carol Bassi
Organisation
IDS
Nomination story
IDS would like to nominate Carol Bassi for this award, Carol has been an IDS tenant for 40 years, she is an active current committee member and is involved in many of the engagement opportunities here at IDS. She helps scrutinise IDS policies and performance data, she challenges appropriately and in a fair, constructive and proportionate way. She is approachable and highly respected by the community, and is a real advocate for her neighbour’s and actively encourages residents to become involved with us. We think she is a real champion, and she willingly gives up her time to work with us. We would like to thank her for her continued support and acknowledge the positive change her work has had led to with IDS.
Sort order
350
Hero type
Community champion
David Carley
Organisation
Colchester Borough Homes
Nomination story
David has been an involved customer since moving into his property in 2021. He has made significant contributions and demonstrated exceptional dedication to improving services for tenants at Colchester Borough Homes. Therefore, I would like to nominate David for a Tenant Volunteer Recognition Certificate. His active involvement in various activities such as Resident Meetings, Community Funding Panel, Reading Groups, ad hoc task and finish groups, as well as his role as a quality assurance advisor and Tenant Inspector, highlights his commitment to enhancing the living experience for all residents. Additionally, his efforts in promoting community engagement through initiatives like litter picks, Coffee and Chats, and Community Markets further demonstrate his passion and dedication to making a positive impact. David's contributions undoubtedly make services better for all customers at Colchester Borough Homes, and he deserves recognition for his outstanding work.
Sort order
360
Hero type
Community champion
Alison Milgate
Organisation
Colchester Borough Homes
Nomination story
Alison's dedication and commitment to both Colchester Borough Homes and her local community are truly commendable. Her active involvement in engagement groups and her willingness to support others demonstrate her strong sense of community spirit. Alison's initiative to introduce Arts & Crafts sessions at the coffee mornings for tenants at the Independent Living schemes is a testament to her creativity and desire to enhance the well-being of others. By extending her volunteering efforts to multiple independent living schemes, Alison has significantly contributed to addressing issues such as isolation and cost of living. Her selfless dedication to providing engaging activities for tenants not only fosters a sense of community but also improves their quality of life. In light of Alison's outstanding contributions, I nominate her as an Engagement Hero for Tenant Volunteering. . Her passion for Arts & Crafts, coupled with her commitment to tackling social challenges, has made a meaningful difference in the lives of those she serves. Alison's efforts truly embody the spirit of volunteerism and deserve recognition and appreciation.
Sort order
370
Hero type
Community champion
Michael Bickerstaffe
Organisation
Hull City Council
Nomination story
Mike and his wife live in one of Hull's high-rise blocks in Hull, where he takes an active role in the tenants and residents group there. He attends the meetings, and works in the garden when he can. He is also a prominent member of Hull Tenants' Forum, Multi Storey Living Project Group and Neighbourhood Management Project Group. He carries out block inspections and local area walks, making sure that his block and area are free from issues and reports them accordingly. He loves where he lives and is very community orientated, even being a football referee!!.
Sort order
380
Hero type
Community champion
Paul Hardy
Organisation
Hull City Council
Nomination story
Paul lives in the east area of Hull, and takes an active role in his estate and how it looks. Being a member of the Hull Tenants' Forum and the Neighbourhood Management Project Group enables Paul to put across his views and he participates in Local Area Walks when he can. Paul is also an avid gardener and has won the "Best Communal Garden" category on various occasions in his area, this is his pride and joy, and he has been an inspiration to others to enter theirs and get involved.
Sort order
390
Hero type
Tenant volunteer
Gaynor Southerton
Organisation
Plymouth Community Homes
Nomination story
Gaynor is a member of the Customer Focus Committee, and Scrutiny Panel and is also a Virtual Resident Advisor. Gaynor is Treasurer of a formal social group on her Housing with Support scheme and has turned the group around. Recruiting new members and encouraging attendance at events and socials. Gaynor produces a monthly newsletter for the Group with competitions and news. There is not much Gaynor would not do for her community and so far that has been learning design software and filling her home with scones and cream for the Coronation. A shining example of a community builder.
Sort order
400
Hero type
Board/panel member
Paul Reynolds
Organisation
Hull City Council
Nomination story
Paul has been involved with Hull City Council’s Tenant Participation Team since the very beginning nearly 20 years ago! Paul has a wealth of knowledge which he actively shares in his roles as Chair of Customer Access Focus Group, Vice Chair of the Tenants’ Forum, and as Vice Chair of his local Tenants and Residents Association. Paul also partakes in many other groups such as Neighbourhood Management, Multi Storey Living and Publicity, and he also shares his knowledge and experience as a Digital Champion Volunteer.
Sort order
410
Hero type
Board/panel member
Paul Brumpton
Organisation
Hull City Council
Nomination story
Paul has been a volunteer with us at Hull City Council's Tenant Participation Team for well over 10 years. He brings to the table 40 years worth of experience on subjects such as landscape gardening and multi storey living, which he draws on when attending meetings on these subjects and assists him with the activities he carries out. Paul is an avid litterpicker, he regularly carries out local area walks with a TPO, and knows a thing or two about the different varieties of grass and flowers! Due to his wealth of knowledge on gardening, this year he has been one of the judges for the Tenants' Garden Competition which he has really enjoyed. Paul is a valuable asset to Tenant Participation in Hull.
Sort order
420
Hero type
Tenant volunteer
Peter Doncaster
Organisation
Hull City Council
Nomination story
Peter is Chair of the Great Thornton Street Tenant and Resident Association (GTS TARA) for the last 3 years. He joined the GTS TARA as a General member and was then elected as a Vice Chair and afterwards elected as a Chair. Peter is very enthusiastic volunteers who works hard to bring communities together. He works very hard in one of the communal gardens,this garden was a mess a few years back but due to his hard work the garden is blooming. Along with other residents he carries out litter picking, estate walks and he also does benchmarking on regular basis to check the cleaning service in the high rise blocks. Peter also works closely with the local ward councillors to raise issues and for arranges community cohesion events for GTS area. Due to Peter's hard work and enthusiasm he was elected as a general member of the Tenants' Forum Committee and he remained on the committee for three years and this year has been elected as a Vice Chair of the Estate Management Project Group.
Sort order
430
Hero type
Board/panel member
Sharon Leese
Organisation
Hull City Council
Nomination story
Sharon has been a volunteer for Hull City Councils Tenant Participation Team since 2019. She is an active member of the Estate Management, Multi-story living and Customer Access focus groups. She is one of our local area champions who regularly litter picks the area she lives in and reports issues to the Tenant Participation team. She makes a difference to her community by being involved as a member of the 'Hutt Street' Pop in who meet as and when issues arise. Not only is she a voice for her area but she also makes a difference to the Housing service by attending Tenants Forums and consultations. Sharon also carries out joint Benchmarking with TP officers to visit low and high rise flats city wide, this involves grading the communal areas and raising any cleaning issues. We are pleased to welcome Sharon as a new member of the Tenants Forum Committee.
Sort order
440
Hero type
Staff
Robert and Diane Banthorpe
Organisation
Hull City Council
Nomination story
Hull City Council and the Hull Tenants' Forum prides itself on working in partnership together to create a better city. Robert and Diane fit this bill perfectly. Both have been involved with us for quite a number of years, and are also in their community, which is very important to them. Both are Local Area Champions, checking their area nearly everyday for issues, they also regularly litterpick and are at present looking at ways to set up a Tenants and Residents Group. Whenever there is a Forum or meeting of interest to them, they are there constructively putting their points across for their area and feeding into Government consultations and policies. Robert is also an active member of the Customer Access Project Group, which deals with issues in relation to potential customers accessing the Council's services and how we can make them better for everyone.
Sort order
450
Hero type
Community champion
Justin Appleyard
Organisation
Together Housing
Nomination story
Justin lives in a high rise block in Halifax and has worked tirelessly to raise the awareness of building safety amongst residents, both within Together Housing and nationally. Justin was invited to join Together Housing’s Residents' Building Safety Panel (RBSP) which has enabled him to push forward with his work supporting fire safety. Justin founded the 'TRIO' initiative. TRIO is a unique approach to fire safety centred on the idea that everyone shares responsibility – residents, their visitors, the Fire Service and Together Housing. With this in mind, Justin has taken a number of steps to empower residents and make them aware of the ways in which they can keep themselves and their neighbours safe. Through Together Housing, Justin has formed a strong partnership with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and has helped to successfully introduce a new system identifying the support needed by residents to evacuate safely in an emergency. With his support, residents have opened up about their disabilities or issues with evacuating. Justin and other members of the RBSP have been central to communicating with residents in high rise blocks about the type of building safety information
Sort order
460
Hero type
Tenant volunteer
Barbara Seacombe
Organisation
Livewest
Nomination story
Barbara truly deserves the recognition of someone who goes above and beyond a role of a volunteer. For over two decades, Barbara has volunteered in her local community to bring her neighbourhood together, particularly to ensure young people where she lives are involved to create a happy, thriving community neighbours can be proud of. Barbara shows her passion for breaking down the barriers for social housing by being an active representative for the Stop Social Housing Stigma Campaign which has been a positive driving force for change across the sector. She also invests a huge amount of her free time being part of the LiveWest scrutiny panel, InFocus. Just this year alone, she has volunteered nearly 20 hours of her voluntary time in completing scrutiny reviews and also completes regular training and network opportunities with TPAS, as well taking part on the Housing Ombudsman’s Residents Panel. Barbara regularly joins in on our Customer Communications Group reviews to ensure all LiveWest’s customer communications are easy to read, relevant and engaging. Barbara is also a member and chair of the local patient participation group for her GP surgery and a member of the NHS Digital Cha
Sort order
470
Hero type
Young person
Colin Lincoln
Organisation
Livewest
Nomination story
Colin has given a large amount of his time, sharing his experience and passion to drive change through the ‘Stop Social Housing Stigma’’ committee, a campaign group which began in 2017. The group is led and organised by social housing residents, Colin meets regularly with staff and networking with other residents across the housing sector, working with the government to challenge the way the public think and tackle the stigma associated with social housing. Colin’s passion to make a positive change for social housing customers also shines through his commitment to volunteering further time on the Housing Ombudsman’s Residents Panel. Colin also volunteers his time on the Customer Communications panel, a group which works in partnership with LiveWest to ensure all customer facing communications are relevant, engaging, accessible and easy to read. Back at home, Colin is a keen Estate Service once again working in partnership with LiveWest to feedback on how the grounds maintenance, communal cleaning and communal fire alarm contractors are performing, along with many other opportunities to ensure services are delivered right first time.
Sort order
480
Hero type
Staff
James Masters
Organisation
Livewest
Nomination story
James has been a member of InFocus our customer scrutiny group since it began back in 2019 but has been an involved resident for a lot longer. James became vice chair of the group in 2022 and was unanimously voted as chair early in 2023. James has been the driving force behind the success of the new recruitment campaign which has been widely regarded in best practice across other housing associations. Thanks to James, he has spent a huge amount of his voluntary time working with staff to support ideas in increasing the diversity and inclusion of customer voices on the group. Along with being the driving force behind a successful scrutiny group, James has been building a robust relationship with the Board and Customer Services Committee. James, this year alone, has completed over 42 hours of volunteering, dedicated to the development of a trusted and respected scrutiny panel which challenges convention and thrives upon challenges. James is now keen to lead the group into new territory by trialling new ways to communicate the work achieved by customers through video reporting.
Sort order
490
Hero type
Board/panel member
Sue Latimer
Organisation
Southern Housing
Nomination story
Sue first became a tenant in 2011. In January 2020, Sue joined the Midlands Regional Residents Panel as a resident member and just recently was elected by fellow resident members as Chair of the panel. Sue is also Chair of the West Midlands Steering Group. Sue helps everyone at the scheme where she lives, nothing is too much trouble, for example; taking residents shopping, collecting shopping for those who are not able, picking up prescriptions, supporting residents to GP appointments. Sue will put on events at the scheme for all the residents, she is very welcoming and very much encourages inclusion. When a new resident moves in, Sue will support them settling in. Sue will spend time sitting with residents and has also been known to cook a dinner for residents. Sue does a lot in the beautiful gardens which are award winning and very often pays for plants etc out of her own monies to enhance the look of the grounds. We are very proud to have a resident in a scheme who has not only got passion for where she lives, but also the organisation, the Midlands Regional Residents panel, and the West Midlands Steering Group.
Sort order
500
Hero type
Board/panel member
Ceri Palframan and Gareth Whiting
Organisation
Hull City Council
Nomination story
Ceri and Gareth are a Brother and Sister team, who are passionate about the wellbeing of their area in which they live. Ceri carries out local area walks and reports issues accordingly, she is also a prominent player in the Tenants' Forum and on other relevant groups such as Neighbourhood Management. Gareth is a wonderful litter womble, litterpicking daily around his area to the tally of over 120 bags of rubbish in the last 8 months. It is definitely making a difference and others are noticing the vital work he carries out.
Sort order
510
Hero type
Tenant volunteer
Kerry Jones and Terri Stembridge
Organisation
Hull City Council
Nomination story
Kerry and Terri are prominent members of the Charterhouse Community TARA and have been since 2018. From their humble beginnings in the group when it first started to now, they have been a shining example of what can be achieved. They put the community first, and have everyones issues and concerns at heart. They both arrange with the rest of the group Fun Days and activities in the community to get the diverse mix of people all involved. Both are involved in facilitating the community allotment, and take an active role in its running. They regularly carry out local area walks and litterpick the area also.
Sort order
520
Hero type
Community champion
Graham Pettingill
Organisation
Hull City Council
Nomination story
Graham is a Local Area Champion with Tenant Involvement, checking and litterpicking his area where he lives every week, whilst reporting issues to the service. Since he started with us in June last year he has collected over 160 bags of rubbish for us which feeds into the Council's Love Your Street recycling program. Graham also plays an active role in the Neighbourhood Management Project Group and the Tenants' Forum, putting his area views across. This July he entered the communal garden where he lives for the Tenants' Garden Competition. He has won for his community Best ECO Garden which is brilliant.
Sort order
530
Hero type
Community champion