In the lead up to Dementia and Mental Health Awareness Weeks, Eden Housing Association’s Sim Court hosted a coffee morning to which they welcomed retired dementia charity worker Margaret Irving of Penrith. Before retirement, Margaret was the Business Development Manager for the Alzheimer’s Society. She now voluntarily represents dementia support organisations, and spoke about being a “dementia friend”. In her experience people can be reluctant to open up about the disease, and it is hoped the morning will provide support and information on a health condition that people fear. Figures show there are 5,003 people over the age of 65 in Cumbria who have been diagnosed with some form of dementia. There are many significant benefits to an early diagnosis of dementia and dementia-related conditions like Alzheimer’s. There is medication which can help slow down the condition, and a diagnosis can also unlock a lot of support services for the person and their carers, and provide help and advice to enable people to continue to live well, in their own home, for as long as possible. Dementia is a term used to describe symptoms such as loss of memory, behaviour changes and problems in reasoning. The most common cause of…

NEWS RELEASE Date: 12 March 2019 The Sim Court Knit and Natter Group has been very productive in the last twelve months, raising money for resident outings and creating blankets to donate to the Jigsaw charity shop in Penrith. Every Monday afternoon, the Knit and Natter group get together at Eden Housing Association’s Sim Court Assisted Living Scheme, for coffee, cake and a good chat. Putting their time to good use, they bring along their knitting needles, crochet hooks and bags of wool, creating a haul of hats, gloves, scarfs and blankets to attract donations. The community group, which is made up of Sim Court tenants and local residents, has been running for many years, encouraging people to get together and raising funds to support activities at the scheme. Regular participants currently include Edna Shadwick, Hazel Boyes, Eileen Soulsby and Pat Sewell, often joined by former avid knitter Louie Dent. John Clasper, Chief Executive of Eden Housing Association said “I’d like to say a big thank you to the group who knitted some amazing hats and gloves which they sold at the Christmas Fair and also offered to our staff. These ladies are very talented and with bobble hats being…

Three golden rules of safety for solid fuel: Check out this advice sheet for more information https://www.edenha.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Safety_Guide_For_SolidFuel_Users.pdf  

        ECHO held their AGM last night, and turned 21 years old Eden Community Homes and Organisations (ECHO) is the united voice of tenants, residents and other customers of EHA. ECHO works on the principle that residents who have an interest in the work of EHA also have the right to participate in the decision-making affecting their homes and environments, their primary aim is to promote tenant and resident involvement by: Membership is open to all tenants and residents living in EHA properties, and to those living close by. A full meeting of ECHO members is held six times a year, and a number of sub-groups also meet regularly. Would you like to get involved? For more information call 01768 861400. “Make YOUR voice heard and get answers”

Following its successful new rented bungalows developments on Pategill and Scaws estates in Penrith earlier this year, Eden Housing Association (EHA) is continuing to build affordable homes for rent in the town. Making the most of small development opportunities, their newest development is right in the heart of Penrith. Work has commenced to create seven new homes on a brownfield site at William Street. It will be developed to create 4 two-bed houses and 3 one-bedroom flats – all for affordable rent. The site was previously a commercial garage with private garages attached for local residents. Demolition and clearance works have been completed, making way for construction work to start in the Spring. EHA is currently tendering for the building work, anticipating the homes to be ready by Christmas 2019. Rebecca Field, Development Manager at EHA, said “This is a town centre development and we are very conscious that we are developing new homes in the heart of a residential area. Keeping local residents informed is very important and Metcalfe’s, our demolition contractors, worked with those immediately impacted, to ensure they had the access they needed with minimum disturbance. Because we are working in the town, the demolition process included…

Henry Barker, Chair of Eden Housing Association (EHA) has retired as Chair of the Association under its 9 year Rule, at its recent Annual General Meeting. Henry, speaking at the AGM, recounted how a decade ago he was interviewed for a place on the Board by then Chief Executive Paul Davies. Henry remembers the day clearly and said “I was thrilled, humbled and a little surprised to be accepted onto the Board. Little did I know then that I would enjoy 9 years as an active Member and seven years as Chair.” Henry chaired the EHA Board from 2011 and has helped steer the organisation through both memorable and challenging times. His personal highlights included overseeing the development of two Extra Care housing schemes – the first was the flagship scheme at Heysham Gardens in Carlisle in 2012, followed by the redevelopment of Mill Gardens scheme in Kirkby Stephen in 2015. Challenges have been overcome, including finding ways to contend with the Government’s imposed rent reduction policy which had significant income implications for all housing associations. Under skilful leadership from the Board, EHA has risen to the challenge, become a leaner, more efficient but still highly effective organisation that is…

Eden Housing Association and Castles & Coasts Housing Association are jointly procuring their Responsive Repairs and Void Maintenance Contracts. As both Associations’ contracts were due to expire at the same time, and have housing stock in the same areas, it made sense to work with Cumbria Housing Partners to jointly procure. The successful contractors will provide responsive maintenance services and void repair services within the North West of England. The work will be within two geographical lots: Carlisle and Eden and  Allerdale, Copeland, South Lakeland, Barrow and Lancaster. For more information and to register for free – the new contracts are advertised for tender via:  

A plot at Brent Road in Penrith, which included unused garages described as an eyesore, has been developed by Eden Housing Association (EHA) to create much needed affordable housing. The two houses and five bungalows are a good example of how good use can be made of small spaces to create more affordable homes. The houses at the front were sold as shared ownership, helping people onto the property ladder and the five bungalows enable older people to downsize, freeing up family homes for the next generation. John Clasper, Chief Executive of Eden Housing Association said “We are a small rural housing association so we focus on our strengths in creating flexible, good quality small schemes in keeping with their surrounds. This is the first of four developments we are working on across Eden this year. In replacing our garage site, we have found a good value way of maximising opportunity to create affordable homes. “Our four Eden developments have been financed with the help of low cost loans from Eden District Council’s Affordable Housing and Innovation Fund (AHIF). The Brent Road development, which cost over £800,000, also benefitted from EDC providing some additional land behind the garages. It’s great…

To mark Eden Housing Association’s (EHA) twenty-year history, tenant and resident groups across Cumbria were offered a grant to organise local events and activities to celebrate their special birthday. The most recent event was an Inter-Scheme Mini-Olympics challenge for residents living in supported or extra care housing. Thirty tenants travelled to Penrith Rugby Club for a day packed with fun, games and lunch. Fielding teams were the extra care schemes at Mill Gardens in Kirkby Stephen and Rampkin House in Appleby, plus the supported housing scheme at Sim Court in Penrith. Whilst it was ‘The Friendly Games’, there was an air of competitive spirit amongst those taking part. Games included Table Pong, Garden Darts with special awards up for grabs in the Hook a Duck and the Welly Wanging competition as well as a trophy for the overall scheme winner. Commenting on the day, Debbie Wilkinson, Support and Activities Co-ordinator for EHA said “The atmosphere was fantastic, plenty of laughter and there were even some very alternative interpretations for some of the games. Tenants enjoyed lunch and still mustered the energy in the afternoon to complete the games which included the welly wanging competition – the highlight of the day….

Eden Housing Association (EHA) is celebrating their 20th anniversary and marked the occasion this week (Tuesday 26 September 2017) at their annual meeting which looked back over their history. Held at Stoneybeck Inn, Penrith, around 80 guests attended the meeting including past chairs of the organisation, staff and stakeholders. On display were documents and photographs from the earliest days, as well as the original transfer video and a wall of people pictures featuring staff, schemes, homes and events across the era. The transfer of 1,508 properties from Eden District Council (EDC) to Eden Housing Association took place on 22 September 1997 under the auspices of Eden District Council Chief Executive Ian Bruce, EDC Chair Bernard Thornborrow and the Housing Association’s first Chief Executive Paul Davies and Chair Ron Richardson. Initially the Association lost properties under the right to buy scheme, but with planned development of new build affordable homes, it now has a stock of 1821 properties across Cumbria and manage a further 140 properties for Mitre Housing Association, Allonby Almshouses and Lyvennet Community Trust. The affordable housing landscape has changed greatly in recent years, as highlighted in the report on the past year from John Clasper, Chief Executive of…