Press Coverage
Welcome to the Press Coverage area of the News Room. Below we have summarised when, where and why we have been mentioned in the media.
If you would like to know more about any of these stories please email communicationsteam@bromford.co.uk or call 01902 396820.
Gloucestershire Echo – 29 June 2010
Very rare chance to snap up your own street
Property investors are getting a rare chance to snap up a large chuck of one of the most historic streets in the Cotswolds.
Property consultants Bruton Knowles is marketing Barton Court on Gloucester Street in the heart of Cirencester.
With period property dating back to the 16th century the substantial site comprises just under half an acre.
Included in the freehold sale of Barton Court is a terraced row of period cottages with frontages on to Gloucester Street which provide 13 one-bedroom flats, an attached Cotswold stone building providing a further 11 one-bedroom flats, a three-bedroom maisonette as well as a range of ancillary rooms.
In addition there is a detached two-storey, one-bedroom cottage, a retail unit with frontage on to Gloucester Street, a range of garden spaces with courtyard, lawns and mature trees and parking.
Inside Housing – 25 June 2010
Top 50 Developers 2010
Bromford Group has been recognised as one of the top 50 Developers in the country. Having operated for more than 40 years, Bromford have doubled in size in the last 5 years and as a result are ranked at number 21 in the standings.
The housing group now owns over 26000 homes and operates in 58 local authorities with over 1200 employers.
Although they have dropped to rank 21 from 19, Bromford are still eyeing a successful future, with an aim of being one of the country’s top 3 providers of high quality affordable homes by 2016.
Property Advantage West Midlands Magazine – June 2010
McCann brings new mindset to Bromford’s affordable mission
Fighting the corner for the five million folk who desperately need social housing was never easy, even before coalition took the axe to the Homes & Communities Agency’s budget.
Housing associations, such as Bromford Group, will certainly need their champions, as they fight to deliver sustainable and affordable homes during the fragile recovery, and the Wolverhampton-based organisation looks to have chosen well in its newest recruit.
Amelia McCann has been appointed head of development (north), which in Bromford terms spans an area from Rugby to Walsall and Wolverhampton, through Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, and back to Birmingham and Solihull, so she certainly won’t be short of sites to visit.
Wiltshire & Gloucestershire Standard - 27 May 2010
Hard work appreciated
In reply to the article regarding Fosseway Living Junior Wardens participating in the Action Earth litter picking session, we would like to publicly thank all the wardens for their participation, hard work and ongoing dedication and attendance to the scheme.
The scheme is sponsored by Fosseway Living and other parties. Without this funding, it would not be possible to continue the scheme or reward all the wardens for their hard work.
Thank you to everyone who has helped in the past because without you we would not have been able to continue.
Once again, a big special thank you to all the Junior Wardens involved.
Sandra Lovesey & Clare Bartlett, Austin Road, Cirencester
Northampton Chronicle & Echo – 15 May 2010
New group’s a real confidence boost
Tenants from Daventry and District Housing Association have set a new confidence-boosting support group to help tackle anti-social behaviour and provide better service for the vulnerable and disabled.
Your Voice, Our Voice which is hoping to attract more residents, and has received the backing of the housing association as well as Daventry’s Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Advice Daventry and the housing organisations, Bromford Support and Orbit Heart of England Housing. Daventry Area Community Transport and mental health charity, MIND, also attended this week’s launch at The Abbey Centre. For more information on the group, call 01327 705000 or email getinvolved@ddh.org.uk.
Daventry Express – 13 May 2010
Amnesty was too popular
A ‘rubbish amnesty’ on a Daventry street proved a little too popular, forcing residents to live alongside a mountain of rubbish for a month.
People from Tovey Drive, on the town’s Southbrook estate, were left with skips piled high with waste on a residents’ parking area by Bromford Group.
A spokesman for Bromford confirmed the three skips had been left by the Group as part of a ‘rubbish amnesty’.
However, the weight of the items put in them meant it had to bring in an extra skip and workers to divide it up before taking them away on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
Northampton Chronicle & Echo – 6 May 2010
Bromford Support Services, as service that helps people in the community with tenancies, mental health and other problems, is starting a drop-in-session at Towcester Library from Friday. The session starts at 10am until noon.
Wilts & Glos Standard – 6 May 2010
Family fun day will be even bigger and better
Organisers of a popular family fin day in Cirencester that attracted more than 4,000 people last year say this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever.
The Churn Family Fun Day, organised by community service provider The Churn Project, will be held this Sunday from 1pm to 5pm at St Michael’s Park, in Watermoor Road.
Churn Project assistant manager Anna Rarity said this year organisers had tried to appeal to the whole community and were particularly trying to get more teenagers involved.
Also new this year will be go-karting for children aged under ten.
Previous favourites wish as the climbing wall, bouncy castle, face painting, circus skills and African drumming will also feature again this year.
There will also be a puppet show, fairground rides, henna tattoos, craft workshops as well as sporting activities such as football.
The day will end with a colourful balloon race organised by Fosseway Living.
Wiltshire & Gloucestershire Standard Series - 29 April 2010
Ground force do allot of work on makeover
An overgrown debris-strewn garden has been transformed into an allotment patch for the residents of a block of flats in Cirencester.
Tenants at a group of 12 flats owned by social housing provider Fosseway Living in Austin Road are now able to grow their own fruit and veg in the raised planting beds.
A gardening team, provided by Fosseway, removed ramshackle sheds, overgrown bushes, broken fencing and dangerous debris in the shared garden as part of its Grow-Your-Own project.
They also installed a new level lawn, paths, rotary washing lines, a storage shed, greenhouse and five raised planting beds bounded by wooden sleepers.
The top-to-bottom garden makeover was masterminded by Fosseway’s Clare Bartlett and Ian Williamson, team leader with the repairs team, at a total cost of “28,973, including a contribution from the NHS in Gloucestershire. Marshfield Stone Roofing Tile donated all the paving slabs.
Clare, said: “This project has been a learning curve for everyone and I am pleased that we are able to offer customers the chance to grow their own vegetables and provide them with a safe place where their children can play.”
Gary Nicholls, who lives in one of the flats, said: “The allotments were a really great idea because they give everyone living here an opportunity to grown their own vegetables. And the whole garden looks a lot better now.”
Wiltshire & Gloucestershire Standard Series - 22 April 2010
Nuisance neighbour order
A woman whom neighbours say has made their lives a misery has agreed to sign an agreement to curb her bad behaviour.
Police confirmed this week the woman had also been warned over her anti-social behaviour in the past and Fosseway Housing Association said it was asking her to sign an Acceptable Behaviour Contract, which could lead to her eviction if she fails to shelves her antics.
One couple who live immediately behind the woman asked not to be named for fear of reprisals.
They claimed they had had abuse shouted at them in the street, been spat at and had eggs thrown at their house and car.
The husband said: “We can’t go in the front garden or do anything – the atmosphere is very tense. She is forever slamming doors repeatedly and she screams like a banshee – it sounds like someone is being attacked.”
Other neighbours also raised concerns.
Fosseway spokesman David Faers, said: “We are working alongside the Police with the aim of serving her with an Acceptable Behaviour Contract.
“This contract will set strict guidelines for behaviour. Any breach could result in action against her tenancy.”
Gloucestershire Echo – 9 April 2010
Fair puts focus on jobs and training
New jobs will be on offer in Hester’s Way this weekend.
Tomorrow sees the second running of the jobs, training, advice and volunteering fair at Springbank Community Resource Centre.
Among those at the fair will be JobcentrePlus, Working Links, Gloucestershire College, Cheltenham Volunteering Centre, Connexion, Protocol Skills, Cheltenham CAB, Midcounties Co-op, Fosseway Living and Sanctuary Housing.
The event also aims to encourage respect between young and the old.
Entertainment includes tai chi, belly dancing, line dancing and break dancing. There will also be free shiatsu and massage tasters. Giggles Nursery will be open, providing more children’s activities, and the Springbank Surgery will be offering health and weight checks. Second-hand clothes will also be on sale.
Visitors will also be given the chance to find out about all the services at the centre and the groups that meet there, and the community garden will be officially opened.
The event, run by Hester’s Way Neighbourhood Project, will be from 11am to 2.30pm.
Gloucestershire Echo - 16 February 2010
Demolition bid for eyesore bungalows given approval
Planning officers at the borough council have given the thumbs up to -plans to demolish the row of eight council-owned bungalows in their place. The scheme has stirred up mixed feelings from neighbours, who say it could lead to parking problems in the already crowded street. To alleviate concerns, Cheltenham Borough Council and Bromford Group changed the plans to cut down the overall number of parking spaces and move most of them off the street. It also brought in plan for a new turning circle on the road. Controversial proposals to replace a stretch of prefab bungalows in Cheltenham with affordable housing have been recommended for approval.