Housing Justice News Release 01 November 2005
For immediate release
Goggins praises contribution of faith groups to building sustainable communities
Home Office Minister Paul Goggins MP highlighted the important role that voluntary sector organisations and faith groups have in building sustainable communities at Housing Justice’s second Annual General Meeting held on Monday 31 October 2005.
Speaking at the AGM Goggins said that housing was at the top of the government’s agenda and the need for more affordable housing was recognised. He added that the government was keen to work in partnership with voluntary sector and faith groups to ensure that housing need is met and strong sustainable communities are built.
Home Office Minister Paul Goggins MP speaking at the Housing Justice AGM 2005.
Prior to entering Parliament Goggins was Director of Church Action on Poverty where he helped to set up Housing Justice’s predecessor the Churches National Housing Coalition. At the end of his speech Goggins praised the work of Housing Justice in raising housing and homelessness issues among the churches and in Parliament and thanked Housing Justice’s Chief Executive Robina Rafferty for the 30 years work she has given to the charity and its predecessors.
At the AGM Housing Justice was presented with a cheque for £18,500 raised by twelve Lloyds TSB staff who competed for Housing Justice in April’s London Marathon. The Chair of Housing Justice, Bishop of Dudley the Right Reverend David Walker, thanked the Lloyds TSB staff for their hard work and said that the money would go to fund Housing Justice’s vital work with homeless and badly housed people.
The Chair of Housing Justice Bishop of Dudley the Right Reverend David Walker (left) receiving a cheque from Lloyd TSB’s David James alongside runner Rob Sharpley.
The meeting also heard from Terry Edis, Chair of Burrowes Street Tenants Management Committee and Chair of the National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations. He outlined the steps tenants on his Walsall estate had taken to regenerate their area by taking over control of the management. The Burrowes Street TMC is a successful example of a tenants-led regeneration project which the Home Office funded Guide Neighbourhoods programme, coordinated by Housing Justice, seeks to support and encourage.
Director of External Affairs at Housing Justice Alison Gelder said “This was an informative and inspiring AGM to mark our second successful year of operations. During the year we have expanded our work with the addition of the Home Office funded Guide Neighbourhoods programme. We welcome the government’s recognition that sustainable communities must be built in partnership with organisations such as voluntary and faith groups that are active on the ground across the whole country.”
Ends
Higher resolution versions of the two photos are available from Housing Justice
Click here for the Housing Justice Annual Review 2004/2005
About Housing Justice
Housing Justice is the national voice of Christian action to prevent homelessness and bad housing. It was formed in April 2003 through the merger of two long-standing housing charities, the Catholic Housing Aid Society (CHAS) and the Churches National Housing Coalition (CNHC) bringing together more than 60 years of experience of working for change in the field of housing.
Housing Justice provides frontline services to people in housing need and campaigns to improve housing policy. Housing Justice funds a network of 10 housing advice agencies and numerous community projects, and develops models of good practice for frontline services that local groups can adopt. In total Housing Justice is actively involved in 35 communities across England and Wales.
Housing Justice Regenerate, funded by the Home Office’s Civil Renewal Unit, supports resident-led regeneration in 15 guide neighbourhoods across the UK. Regenerate brings together residents who have transformed their estates with those who want to embark on the regeneration process to share thinking and offer support.
Housing Justice works with and for homeless and badly housed people of all denominations, and with those who have no religious beliefs. All our services are offered to the whole community and, wherever possible, we work in partnership with others who share our values, regardless of religious beliefs.
For further information on Housing Justice see www.housingjustice.org.uk
Contact
Luke Evans 020 7723 7273
email media@housingjustice.org.uk