Staff from Leeds-based BME housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise have visited Burmantofts to talk to tenants and take part in a community clean-up.
Unity staff and project partners taking part in the community clean-up at Burmantofts in Leeds
Unity representatives at every level of the organisation consulted with customers on two estates about a range of issues affecting their everyday lives including housing repairs, anti-social behaviour and creating new opportunities for community involvement.
The team was joined by volunteers from Equans, PH Jones and Urban Earth to undertake numerous manual tasks including cutting back overgrown shrubbery, tidying gardens, removing mulch and graffiti, mending broken gates and fencing, and clearing fly tipping and household waste.
Founded in 1987, Unity manages almost 1,400 properties in Leeds and Kirklees including 30 in Burmantofts.
From left: Russell, Callum, Jenni and Rhiannon from Unity Homes and Enterprise on their estate visit to Burmantofts in Leeds
In 2000 the association established its not-for-profit subsidiary company, Unity Enterprise, to support local entrepreneurial activity. It now provides affordable units for 93 diverse enterprises employing more than 1,200 people across three centres in Leeds.
Since being set up in 2011, Unity Employment Services has supported more than 3,100 people into jobs and training.
Cedric Boston, Unity Homes and Enterprise Chief Executive, said: “Our visit was the latest in a series of estate action days to speak to our tenants, listen to their concerns and ideas, and do some useful work on the ground by sprucing up the neighbourhood.
“Unity Employment Services came along to talk to tenants about what they do to help people in hard-to-reach communities to find jobs, access training and education opportunities or work as a volunteer.
“Our income team was also there to talk about the assistance they offer to tenants with their finances including those who may be struggling to pay their rent.
“We are grateful to our friends at Equans, PH Jones and Urban Earth for getting fully involved in the community clean up, with Equans providing skips to help with the task.
“It was a really productive exercise.”