Birthday balloons launch help for homeless » Housing » 24dash.com

Simultaneous balloon releases took place across six regions of the country yesterday to mark the 80th anniversary of The Riverside Group, one of the largest housing associations in England.

Staff and tenants from housing divisions in Newcastle, Carlisle, Liverpool, Manchester, Leicester and Kent gathered at iconic locations including the Angel of the North and the River Mersey to release plumes of eighty green balloons.

The Riverside Group, was established in 1928 as Liverpool Improved Houses, and started with only 15 homes. Rent for these first properties cost just 15 shillings (30p) a week to make houses affordable to those most in need.

Deborah Shackleton, Chief Executive at The Riverside Group said:
“Our 80th anniversary is an important milestone. It’s a reflection of how over the past eight decades, The Riverside Group has extended its roots out of Liverpool to provide affordable homes and resources to regenerate communities across the UK.”

To mark the major milestone in its history, Riverside is supporting The Whitechapel Centre, a homelessness charity based in Liverpool, the Merseyside heartland where the organisation was founded. The yearlong fundraising campaign will generate much needed cash for Whitechapel’s supported housing project that helps people find and sustain independent accommodation. The money will be used to buy ‘starter kits’ for people that include essential items such as a kettle, toaster, cutlery and crockery.