Charter Housing scooped the biggest win at the national UK Housing Awards 2004 for our outstanding involvement in the local community.

Not only did Charter win the overall Outstanding Achievement in Social Housing in Wales Award but we also won the top prize of Outstanding Achievement in Social Housing in the UK Award, beating over 50 other shortlisted organisations, drawn from over 600 entries.

Charter entered two submissions which both made the shortlist and accounted for two out of the five short-listed projects from Wales. The Learning Links project was the spearhead campaign in winning both awards. The second nominated project was our 360 Approach to Tackling Anti Social Behaviour.

Learning Links was set-up in 2002 to involve isolated residents in the community. The project, which was mainly focused in the Pill area of Newport, matched the skills and experience of older members of the community with the interest of younger people, for mutual benefit.

Explains Bron Lloyd, Community Initiative Manager at Charter ; “Working alongside both younger and older members of the community, Learning Links was designed to identify specialist knowledge, skills and experience among older retired members of the community and introduce them to younger members.

Through the introduction of these groups, common interests were developed. This not only increased the younger people's knowledge, life-skills, confidence and self-esteem, in turn, improving their opportunities for employment and training, but also embraced the contribution which the older experienced generation had to make.”

Kathryn Edwards, Corporate Director of Charter Housing, said of the win; “This is a real achievement not just for the team involved but also a milestone in the recognition of community support programmes in Wales. This project really created a win –win situation for members of the community who are too often portrayed as being at opposite ends of the spectrum.”

Amanda Davies, CEO of Seren Group added; “We are overwhelmed and absolutely thrilled for the team at Charter to have achieved this outstanding industry-wide recognition. Having both the regional and national awards to our name will be significant as we seek to build the case for the importance and value of these kinds of projects.”