Kent Housing Group Excellence Award 2022

We’re thrilled to have received so many high quality nominations. The winners were announced at a virtual awards ceremony on 12 October hosted by Sharon Williams and Becs Wilcox, Chair of KHG’s Events Group. KHG is thankful for sponsorship from Kent Housing and Development Group, DHA Planning, Optivo, Paramount Independent Property Services, Golding Homes and the South East Consortium. The attached brochure gives more details.

Category winners and highly commended

Excellent partnership

Winner Live Well Kent and Medway

Some of the team working in Live Well Kent and Medway

 

Excellence in delivering services for vulnerable people

Winner Medway Council Enhanced Domestic Abuse Service;

Franky Roma, Jane Amey and Suzanne Ward from the Medway Domestic Abuse Project

Photo shows Franky Roma, Jane Amey and Suzanne Ward.

Chris Giles said When Medway’s Domestic Abuse services did our needs assessment in the spring of 2021, we realised that we had quite a challenge on our hands to meet the wider needs of Medway residents. We have done this through strategically employing some key new posts and commissioning a range of services alongside them. The positive outcomes have been documented and we are delighted that the progress we have made in achieving a significant expansion and enhancement to services available for people experiencing domestic abuse in Medway has been recognised by Kent Housing Group. It was a pleasure to let our collective members know and we will also be making sure that we tell the Local Partnership Board of statutory and voluntary agencies that you have commended these services.”

Highly commended Endeavour & Springboard Foyers, MHS and

West Kent and & Medway Rough Sleeper Initiative’s mental health team

 

Excellence in development and regeneration

Winner Faversham Lakes, West Kent Housing Association;

Sarah Northern, Senior Project Manager and Adam Jenner, Delivery Manager – West Kent Housing Association

Sarah Northern, Senior Project Manager and Adam Jenner, Delivery Manager from West Kent Housing Association said;

“We are delighted our fantastic new homes at Faversham Lakes have been recognised by the Kent Housing Group  and won the Excellence in development and regeneration award.  It has been lovely to tell our well respected colleagues about the project and there were some really great schemes nominated this year. ”

 

Highly commended East Stour Court, Ashford Borough Council and Yeomans House, MHS

“We were delighted to be highly commended in the excellence in development category. The awards were uplifting and it is such a boost to morale to be recognised in this way when people we look up to and respect for their work across the county sponsor the event and are also shortlisted.”

 

Innovator of the year

Winner Kerry Petts, Folkestone & Hythe District Council;

Kerry Petts, winner of innovator of the year

Kerry said,

“Thank you to Jane Miller (Kent County Council) for nominating me for this award.  The Disabled Facilities Trusted Assessor Project is very much a team effort working with partners across Kent.  The team includes representatives from Town & Country Home Improvement Agency, Kent County Council Occupational Therapists and Private Sector Housing Managers at Ashford, Dover, Sevenoaks and Tonbridge & Malling Councils (as well as me at Folkestone & Hythe Council). The training of Home Improvement Agency surveyors and PSH officers to Trusted Assessor level to prescribe disabled adaptations for residents will help to speed up the Disabled Facilities grant process for those needing a flush floor shower or simple access requirements.  It will also allow Occupational Therapists time to concentrate on the more complex cases where their specialist skills are imperative. This should help to cut waiting times and give more residents their adaptations more quickly.  We hope to roll the pilot our across the whole of Kent in the future. In my view, the whole team is the winner”

Highly commended Eve Lockton-Goddard, Thanet District Council

 

Excellent community project

Winner Elizabeth Shaw, One Big Family;

Highly commended Peer to Peer mentor project, Pathways to Independence (part of SIG) and

Friends of Bybrook Barn Nature Reserve, Ashford

 

Excellent young professional of the year

Winner James Newman, Gravesham Borough Council;

Highly commended Franky Roma, Medway Council and

Merle Murray, Golding Homes

 

Excellent health or social care professional

Winner Kelly Thomas, Kent County Council;

Kelly Thomas, Winner of health or social care professional category

Kelly said;

It is very much appreciated to be acknowledged for this award. The young man and the family that I worked with had a very long journey to gain the adaptation that was required to meet his needs. This was a very good example of what can be achieved when inter agencies all work together for a shared outcome. I work for a truly amazing team in Kent County Council that is committed and passionate in improving the lives for the children, young people and also their families.

Highly commended Helen Dyer, Ashford Borough Council

 

Excellent housing professional

Winner Julie Terry, West Kent Housing Association;

Highly commended Florentina Bela, Gravesham Borough Council and

Genette Pinwill, Golding Homes

 

Team of the year

Winner ABC Electrical Services, Ashford Borough Council;

Anthony Baldock, Director of Health and Wellbeing at Ashford Borough Council, celebrates with Paul Brooker and the rest of the ABC electrical services team

Anthony Baldock, Director of Health and Wellbeing at Ashford Borough Council, celebrates with Paul Brooker and the rest of the ABC Electrical Services team.

ABC Electrical Services manager Paul Brooker said: “I’m honoured to receive this award on behalf of the team, we have created a fantastic team with a strong bond and all share the same passion in delivering a quality service for ABC. The electricians deserve a special mention in helping us produce award-winning apprentices and providing them with the skills to succeed within the trade.”

Highly commended Home Straight, Town and Country Housing

 

Excellence in the private sector

Winner Cold Homes team, Thanet District Council;

Lisa Marie Richardson of Cold Homes Tea, winner of private sector housing category

Lisa Marie Richardson said” I am delighted to receive the award on behalf of our Cold Homes Team. While only a short-term offshoot of our Private Sector Housing Team, we (the three members of the project team) were able to help a large number of families living in the private rented sector benefit from warmer homes and lower energy bills. The intervention was particularly timely having regard to the current energy crisis.”

Highly commended MEES project, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council

 

Unsung community hero/neighbour of the year

Winner Beryl and Keith Jackson

 

Excellence in asset management

Winner Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator Scheme, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council and Clarion Housing;

Highly commended Energy and Sustainability team, Gravesham Borough Council