Helena Team Crowned ‘Housing Heroes’ At National Awards

Published by Ashley M for Helena Partnerships in Communities and also in Housing

A neighbourhood team from Merseyside-based housing association Helena Partnerships has been crowned Frontline Housing Team of the Year at the Housing Heroes Awards.

re:new Four Acre is a neighbourhood management scheme which brings Helena together with local partners, including St Helens Council, to improve the long term sustainability of the Four Acre estate in Clock Face, St Helens.  Since 2009, the scheme has reduced nuisance fires by 85%, calls relating to ASB by 83%, and criminal damage incidents by 79% - on an estate which formerly ranked among the top 5% of most deprived areas nationally. 

Neil Fairhurst, Senior Neighbourhood Manager, said: “The positive changes we’ve seen in the aspirations of residents and physical environment of the estate since re:new Four Acre launched four years ago have been simply staggering.

“The neighbourhood team and our partners continue to live and breathe their work and now the results are speaking for themselves.”

Rob Young, Chief Executive at Helena, said: “We are just weeks away from celebrating a decade in business, but this award goes to show that we’re still committed to our original aims of creating strong, vibrant communities.

“The hard work and dedication of our staff, partners and tenant volunteers has been at the heart of everything Helena has achieved and I’d like to personally thank them all for their on-going support.

“The team at re:new Four Acre are an inspiration and I’m so proud that their incredible work has been recognised at a national level.”