The aim of these awards is to recognise the work and commitment of our members in improving the lives of people living in social housing estates in Wales.

Outstanding Tenant / Resident Group or panel

1^st Place :    ANTRA - Aberaman Tenants And Residents Association  

Outstanding Tenant / Resident’s Federation

           1^st Place :   Ceredigion, Tenant Steering group, Louise Hill  

Outstanding individual Member / Individual

1^st Place :     Mark Wright, Charter Housing Association   

Outstanding Young people’s project

1^st Place :     Bryncynon Community Strategy  

Outstanding Tenant Participation Officer

1^st Place :       Joint winners - Barbara Roxbourogh, Wrexham Federation
                             Liz Evans, Bron Afon  

Special Award - Honorary membership award for special contribution to the tenant movement in Wales . 

Keith Edwards, Director, Charted Institute of Housing Cymru

The Award Winners In Detail

Category 1:     Outstanding Tenant / Resident Group or panel

            The award is presented to the group that has achieved the most for the benefit of the   
            community from a low start position.

            1^st Place – ANTRA, Newydd HA

The award for best individual tenant and resident association is awarded to Aberaman Tenants and Residents Association, know as ANTRA for their outstanding work over the past 16 years.

The group after many many years of lobbying, finally achieved their dream of having their own community base last year and which enhances the broad range of activities that they provide for the their community in Aberaman, in the Cynon Valley. Supported by Newydd HA and particularly Keiron Montague. Marilyn Evans and Pauline Jones,  along with a strong committee they for many years sustained a punishing schedule of community activities each year specifically working with young people. We are pleased to offer the award of best Tenants and resident group for 2009 to ANTRA.

Category 2:     Outstanding Tenant / Resident’s Federation

This award is made in recognition of the Steering Group’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances as well as the professional relationship it has developed with its current and prospective new landlord and the wider tenant network.

1^st Place – Tai Ceredigion steering group, Peter Deakin (Chair) / Louise Hill (Secretary)

The Tai Ceredigion Steering Group has had to adapt to losing five of its core members to the board of the new organisation.  Although Tai Ceredigion will be all the stronger for this, the Steering Group has evolved and attracted new faces and skills to fill the void.

The Steering Group is now effectively the Committee of the county wide Tenant Liaison Forum and has taken on responsibility for facilitating and directing the Forum.

Over the past 2 years Steering Group members have worked tirelessly to ensure tenants were at the heart of the recent stock transfer process.  Their role both pre and post ballot – in the comprehensive consultation strategy as well as gaining the skills to take the Steering Group forward under the new organisation, has been carried out with commitment and enthusiasm

The Steering Group are currently engaged in the process of supporting the wider tenant network in developing the policies of Tai Ceredigion.  What we have found particularly impressive about the Steering Group is its attention to detail in dealing with both straightforward and complex issues and its readiness to adopt a more formal approach in its relationship with Ceredigion County Council and Tai Ceredigion. 

Category 3:     Outstanding individual Member / Individual

            The award is made in recognition of the sustained support they have offered tenants and
            residents in their pursuit of good practice in housing and participation. The award can
            be any individual member representative, associate or a non member, including a staff    
            member.

1^st Place: Mark Wright, and Sandra Prout, Tenants Voice, Charter Housing association

Mark Wright and Sandra Prout were given the task to organise a tenants’ conference in August 2008 with a budget of £5,000. The event which was held at Tredegar House, Newport was a precision run event which involved negotiating with suppliers, obtaining free services, raffles and donations. The organisation and shear range of exhibitors and activities demonstrated the amount of effort that had gone into the event. The event was commented upon by the Mayor who invited the organisers to the mansion house. Both Mark and Sandra delivered in a spectacular way a thoroughly interesting and informative event which celebrated what tenants can achieve given the confidence to do so by their landlord. We have no hesitation awarding Mark and Sandra the award for outstanding achievements by individuals.

Category 4:     Outstanding Young people’s project

            This award is offered to the project which seeks to achieve genuine young persons
            involvement with a genuine commitment to empowering them to have a stronger voice
            locally and on a broader stage.

1^st Place: - Bryncynon Community Strategy

This years outstanding young persons project has been awarded to a very deserving group of tenants and residents in Mathewstown in the Cynon Valley. The Bryncynon community strategy with the support of community first partnership have focused on a needs led strategy with the community very much outlining what they want. From humble beginnings as a TRA the group now employs 22 works with 80% employed from the local community proving the benefit of local multiplier approach.

Judges were particularly impressed at the range of projects for young people with a parent and toddler group; toy library; play group; breakfast club; after school club; and many social activities that engage young people from an early age. We have no hesitation in awarding the most outstanding young persons project to the Bryncynon community strategy.

Category 5:     Outstanding Tenant Participation Officer

1^st Place: - Jointly offered to Liz Evans, Bron Afon and Barbara Roxborough, Wrexham Federation

The award is made to two persons whom we could not separate for very different reasons.

Barbara Roxborough has been involved in tenant participation for many years and is a key component of the success achieved by the Wrexham Federation. Despite her formative years, her enthusiasm for the role never seems to dampen. Barbara has always been there for the tenants of Wrexham, providing support to obtain training through the National Community resource centre and helping the group to sustain what is one of the oldest federations in Wales. We are pleased to award the outstanding tenant participation officer to Barbara Roxborough.

Finding new ways to engage tenants in a plethora of projects and initiatives which stimulates participation is not an easy task. Bron Afon’s ambitious community engagement strategy means delivering on the promise made to tenants in the community mutual transfer document but in reality in the birth of the new community mutual organisation.

We have been massively impressed by the range of engagement models being developed which requires dedication, commitment and belief in the principle of participation. We are pleased to offer the award of outstanding contribution as a tenant participation officer to Liz Evans of Bron Afon.

Special Award - Honorary membership award for special contribution to the tenant movement in Wales

Honorary members of the Welsh Tenants Federation are a very select group which have proved their value to the tenants movement, not over a couple of years, but often spanning decades.

In the past 21 years we have offered the award to Yvonne Jones, 1999 (who sadly is no longer with us), Sonia Bould, 2005; Ashley Williams and Ken Seymour 2008.

Keith Edwards, Director, CIH Cymru

Honorary membership carries a responsibility to uphold the interests of the tenant movement, but I’m sure that will not be a problem for Keith. It also means that they have certain entitlements.

Keith has been involved in the Welsh Tenants Federation for almost two decades, and over that time, it is evident that he has built up many personal friendships with many individual members of the tenants movement. He has always kept a close professional eye on the development of the tenants movement not because of those friendships, but because he believes in the principle of a Welsh movement led by, and for tenants as an effective counter balance to the landlord sector.

Lets just take a brief look at some of those achievements which have benefited tenants in Wales;

§         Support for tenants through the tenant empowerment grant scheme,

§         Arguing and securing the development of tenant participation certificate programme

§         Advocating for tenants to get involved in audit work with the Wales Audit office;

§         Taking the lead on the inform to involve project, providing advice to tenants and landlords on the achievement of welsh housing quality standards

§         Access to training for tenants to develop their skills in skill collectives through i2i project via the heads of the valleys initiative;

§         Recognition of individual achievements of tenants, through CIH Cymru sponsorship of the these awards

He has for many years provided a succession of chairs, committee members and staff with expert council. Most of it welcomed.

There are many more initiatives that have assisted us to both individually and collectively to take the tenant voice forward;

Keith has been a wise voice in times of difficulty and a consistent advocate for the tenants movement wherever he has worked, and as a consequence, we were very pleased to offer Keith the position of honorary member of the Welsh Tenants Federation.