Progress Housing Group launches £1.5 million community fund

Leyland–based Progress Housing Group has launched a £1.5million fund for community investment activities as a result of its partnership with St Annes-based New Fylde Housing.

One of the promises made to tenants as part of the coming together of New Fylde Housing and Progress Housing Group, earlier this year, was that there would be a substantial increase in funding for community activities.

The investment, known as the Community Investment Fund, is to be spent over a five-year period, on projects throughout areas in which New Progress Housing Association, a subsidiary of Progress Housing Group, and New Fylde Housing have properties.

In order to ensure that the money is spent wisely, and that the organisation can demonstrate the real benefits to the community, it was decided to establish a Community Investment Panel.

The Panel has now been appointed and includes three tenants from New Fylde, three tenants from New Progress as well as three Board members from New Fylde and three Board members from New Progress.

The Panel will meet about four times a year and has been given its first budget of £100,000. It will receive reports from staff, community groups and other organisations with ideas on how to spend the fund. It will approve those that it supports.

Progress Housing Group’s Chief Executive, Jacqui De-Rose, said: “It is a very exciting time for tenants of both New Progress and New Fylde. We are inviting them to apply for funding to carry out projects and initiatives in their areas, which would just not be possible without the Community Investment Fund.

“The Panel members have pledged to listen intently to every idea submitted and to judge each fairly and on its merits. I am very much looking forward to seeing the money spent and the results of the investments made.”