One of Scotland’s leading housing providers has launched an initiative to celebrate its community for their acts of kindness.
Housing and care provider, Bield, has launched a platform to recognise individuals going above and beyond in the community, naming the award – ‘You are one of a Kind’.
Running until March 2022, customers, owners, service users, staff and members of the local community will have the chance every month to nominate their local heroes or heroines who have gone out of their way to lend a helping hand.
At the end of each month, a board of judges will select a Bield customer along with a Bield staff member or volunteer to receive the One of a Kind Award and a £50 voucher.
This comes as Bield is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and is looking to get as many people as possible involved in the milestone.
Chief Executive of Bield, Dr Lynne Douglas said: “Many things can go unnoticed as people go about their day to day life and this award gives us the perfect opportunity to recognise all the little things that make a big difference to individuals and their communities – especially in the current climate.
“The community at Bield has rallied together throughout the pandemic so we are really excited to launch this initiative and give those people a platform to share their amazing efforts.
“Our first series of nominations have started to come through and the stories so far have been incredible – it is wonderful to see individuals supporting each other.
“The Bield community is truly one of a kind and we felt this award will help showcase and celebrate the amazing people we interact with on a daily basis.”
This award further amplifies the importance the provider has put on kindness, last year it was added to its core values, building on the ethos staff and customers live by.
Customers, staff and volunteers can cast vote here:
Bield is a registered charity which grew from humble beginnings, starting out with one housing development in Bo’ness which has gone on to become a major provider of housing and care services for around 20,000 older people across 22 local authority areas.
To find out more about Bield and its developments, visit www.bield.co.uk or follow on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland.
More than 100,000 affordable homes delivered – since 2007
Scotland has delivered more than 100,000 affordable homes since 2007, marking a major milestone on the path to a fairer, more equal nation.
Statistics published today show that 102,055 affordable homes have been delivered since April 2007, with 70,866 of these for social rent.
Scotland delivered over 75% more affordable homes per head of population than both England and Wales in the four years to 2019-20, and over nine times more social rented homes per head than in England during the same period.
Housing Secretary Shona Robison said yesterday: “This is a remarkable achievement. Today’s statistics tell the story of more than 100,000 households being given access to high-quality, affordable homes – whether they be for social rent or people owning a home for the first time.
“I would like to thank registered social landlords, local authorities, the construction sector and our other partners for helping us hit this significant milestone.
“Scotland has been leading the way across the UK with delivery of affordable housing, but we know there is more to do to ensure everyone has a warm, affordable home that meets their needs in a vibrant, safe community.
“Our utmost priority over the past year has been to keep Scotland safe from Coronavirus (COVID-19), and this has meant placing restrictions on construction or at times stopping it altogether.
“While this has affected our ability to meet our target of delivering 50,000 affordable homes over the last parliamentary period, we are continuing to work closely with partners across the housing sector to deliver the remaining homes as quickly as it is safe to do so.
“We will then deliver a further 100,000 homes by 2032, with at least 70% of these for social rent. This is just one of the actions set out in our Housing to 2040 strategy for building a fairer, more equal housing sector, alongside taking steps to tackle high rents in the private sector, setting a single set of standards for housing quality and accessibility, and continuing our work to end homelessness and rough sleeping once and for all.”
Triple Point Social Housing REIT has announced that work has completed on its major new development in Leith, which provides high-quality new homes for local people with long-term disabilities.
In April 2019, Triple Point announced its investment in the scheme, developed by HB Villages (HBV), with construction officially started by Deidre Brock, the MP for Edinburgh North and Leith.
Twenty-four new supported housing apartments have been built on West Bowling Green Street in Leith, which are specially adapted to provide long-term homes for people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and other complex care requirements.
Residents will be referred to the scheme by the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership based on significant local need, with care provided to residents by Lifeways, and housing management services provided by Inclusion Housing.
The £5.4m scheme, called Heron Court, is the first of its type in Scotland and has been developed by HBV, a specialist supported living developer, using funding from Triple Point.
The developers instructed an all-Scottish construction team including Edinburgh-based architects 56Three, structural and civil engineers Curtins, locally-based mechanical and electrical consultants Horizon M&E, and Alloa-based contractor Marshall Construction.
Triple Point uses private capital to acquire, or fund the development of, newly built or newly renovated housing in the community for people with long-term care needs whose rent is funded by government.
This type of housing has been shown to improve the wellbeing of people moving out of institutional care settings, while saving the government money. Triple Point’s portfolio has over 450 properties providing homes for over 3,000 residents.
Based on strong demand, Triple Point is looking to invest in more supported housing schemes like Heron Court across Scotland and the rest of the UK.
Max Shenkman, Head of Property Investment at Triple Point, said: “We are delighted to announce the completion of Heron Court. The development will allow people with disabilities and complex care needs to live independent lives in high-quality and carefully adapted apartments.
“Triple Point is committed to investing in projects that deliver a positive social impact, and Heron Court will provide homes in the heart of the community to support some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable people. With more Scottish developments in the pipeline, we look forward to delivering further positive impact in the area.”
Oliver Carroll, development director of HBV, the supported living developer, said: “We are delighted to complete delivery of this special scheme in the heart of the community.
“We have had tremendous support from officers at Edinburgh City Council who are responsible for delivering specialist supported care across the city. Everyone we have worked with on delivering Heron Court recognises the need for modern specialist supported living accommodation for Scotland’s most vulnerable people.
“We are tremendously excited by all the interest that is being shown in this particular scheme and we are already progressing discussions with other local authorities and funding partners to deliver more like it in Scotland.”
Judith Proctor, Chief Officer of the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, said:“The completion of this scheme – less than two miles from Edinburgh city centre and less than two years after works began – is a remarkable achievement and a great example of collaboration between the public and private sectors.
“Accessibility and technology are two important features of the design of the building which will enable residents to live more independently. Many of the residents will have keys to their own front door for the first time which will be a tremendous boost to their independence and a positive impact on their lives.”
Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, Frank Ross, said:“This is a brilliant example of a new-build development that blends seamlessly into the surrounding environment and community not just physically but emotionally as well.
“It is important that we continue to place great emphasis on solving the housing requirements of people in Edinburgh who need extra support and give them the opportunity to live as independently as possible.”
Deidre Brock, MP, who officially started works at the site in 2019, said:“The completion of this development is another important step towards ensuring the most vulnerable in our society are well looked after in accommodation that properly suits their needs.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing folk move into the scheme over the next few months and making their home here in Leith.”
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Barratt Homes East Scotland is leading the drive to bring much-needed modern and affordable homes to popular areas of Edinburgh.
The homebuilder has announced a multimillion-pound investment that will see almost 100 new homes – a mix of social housing and mid-market rent – created across three developments.
Alison Condie, Managing Director of Barratt Homes East Scotland said:“We’re committed to using our position as one of the country’s leading housebuilders to work in partnership with housing associations to develop well-integrated and modern low cost homes all across Edinburgh’s diverse neighbourhoods.
“High quality affordable housing has a huge role to play in addressing some of the most important societal challenges of our time – and we’re proud to help communities thrive by creating homes that meet their needs.”
In south Edinburgh, this includes 24 homes at Lime Grove in Burdiehouse and 29 homes at Heritage Grange – bringing a total of 161 affordable homes to the site once the development is completed. Both projects, which are due to complete by spring 2023, are being delivered in partnership with Castle Rock Edinvar – one of the country’s largest housing associations.
Both developments will provide high quality housing for families in particular, with a new primary school near Heritage Grange, Frogston Primary School, due to open in 2021.
Barratt Homes East
In the vibrant district of Leith, a £6m project will commence to create 43 new affordable homes at Barratt Homes’ Merchant Quay development, built in partnership with the Port of Leith Housing Association.
The homes, which aim to welcome residents by summer 2023, will be the first delivered at the Baltic Street site in recognition of the urgent need for affordable housing.
Barratt Developments – which includes both Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes – has to date delivered over 1,000 homes across Edinburgh through the Affordable Housing Policy, making the group one of the biggest contributors to affordable housing land supply in the city in the last 15 years.
This feeds in to the wider Scottish Government goal of providing 50,000 new affordable homes – with work safely kickstarting with urgency following delays caused by national lockdowns.
For more information about Barratt Homes’ properties and locations, visit
More than 900 social housing properties in Edinburgh are to benefit from access to next-generation digital connectivity.
CityFibre has partnered with Prospect Community Housing to bring full fibre to homes owned and managed by the provider across Wester Hailes.
The blanket wayleave agreement will ensure CityFibre’s full fibre network build can continue to go ahead smoothly, meaning residents across the community will be among those able to sign-up for a Gigabit-speed full fibre broadband connection.
Full fibre networks are recognised as the digital infrastructure of the future for both homes and businesses. With near unlimited bandwidth, full fibre will ensure households can utilise the latest smart home technology, stream entertainment across multiple devices and make it easier to work from home, with virtually no buffering or lagging.
Sanjay Sudra, CityFibre’s Strategic Wayleave Manager, said: “Digital inclusion is a top priority for us at CityFibre so it is a pleasure to be working with Prospect Community Housing, ensuring as many tenants as possible can access our digital infrastructure.
“Over the last year, our broadband connections have truly been a lifeline as we adapt to new ways of working, socialising and entertaining. We are looking forward to the tenants of Wester Hailes reaping the benefits that come with a first-class and future-proof full fibre connection.”
Neil Munro, Property Services Manager at Prospect Community Housing, added: “Given the amount of home working and blended school work we have all experienced over the past year, a fast, efficient and reliable broadband connection is more important than ever.
“Unlimited bandwidth and gigabit speed has the opportunity to benefit all of our tenants. The work is being planned now and once start dates are agreed we will look to advise our tenants again”.
CityFibre is investing £100m in Edinburgh’s full fibre network which continues to gather pace. CityFibre is already working with launch partner, Vodafone, TalkTalk and Zen, with additional ISPs expected to join the network soon.
Those interested in full fibre broadband can pre-register their interest with CityFibre to receive information when services are available, or check their postcode to see if services are currently available: cityfibre.com/residential
The Scottish Government’s plans to deliver 100,000 affordable homes over the next decade are set out today in a 20-year housing strategy.
Recognising the importance of everyone having a safe and affordable home that meets their needs, Housing to 2040 – Scotland’s first long-term housing strategy – outlines what the Scottish Government wants housing and communities to look and feel like for the people of Scotland, with actions on how to get there.
Key priorities in the strategy, which will be taken forward subject to the outcome of the election, include:
delivering 100,000 more affordable homes by 2032, with at least 70% of these being for social rent. This target would support about £16 billion in total investment and up to 14,000 jobs a year
setting a single set of standards for housing quality and accessibility, no matter whether a home is owned or rented
tackling high rents in the private sector and supporting fair, accessible private and social rental sectors through a Rented Sector Strategy and Housing Bill
decarbonising heating in all homes in line with Scotland’s climate ambitions, ensuring this is done in a fair and just way, including by adapting and retrofitting existing homes
aiming for all new homes delivered by Registered Social Landlords and local authorities to be zero emissions by 2026
establishing a new fund to help local authorities bring empty homes back into residential use
supporting housing development in rural and island areas, helping to prevent depopulation and enabling communities to thrive
continuing with our updated plan to end homelessness and rough sleeping once and for all
undertaking a comprehensive audit of our current housing and homelessness legislation to understand how best to realise the right to adequate housing.
Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “Homes are not simply bricks and mortar. They support people’s health, wellbeing and life chances, can help to tackle poverty and climate change, and are a major investment in the economy. Housing policy is essential in helping us achieve our ambitions for a fairer, more equal Scotland.
“Housing to 2040 sets out a vision for what we want homes and communities to look and feel like for people regardless of their stage in life or where they live. It is a vision where homes are affordable for everyone, where standards are the same across all tenures, where homes have easy access to green space and essential services, and where homelessness, child poverty and fuel poverty have all been eradicated.
“We have already delivered almost 100,000 affordable homes since 2007, and before the pandemic we were on track to meet our target of 50,000 during this parliament. The pandemic interrupted the housing sector’s ability to hit this target, but we are committed to meeting it as soon as it is safe to do so. From there, we will start our new ambition to deliver a further 100,000 affordable homes by 2032.
“Our strategy shows how we will take this forward while tackling empty homes and poor housing, increasing energy efficiency and working to eradicate fuel poverty.
“In developing Housing to 2040 we have engaged with more than 2,000 people, including at 22 events across Scotland and through nationwide consultation. They told us what a good home and a vibrant community looks and feels like, and I’d like to thank them for their input.
“After a year when we have all seen the value of having a warm, safe place to live, this new long-term strategy will ensure every person in Scotland has a home that meets their needs.”
Sally Thomas, Chief Executive of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), said: “This is an ambitious 20-year housing strategy, and there is much to commend. It is SFHA’s ambition that everyone in Scotland has a safe, warm, energy efficient, affordable home, now and in the future, and the Scottish Government’s strategy could help to realise this.
“SFHA has long campaigned for an Affordable Housing Supply Programme commitment beyond one parliamentary term in order to tackle housing need and to maintain progress, so we really welcome the priority to deliver 100,000 more affordable homes by 2032.
“It is vital that our members can also invest in their existing stock, and we are pleased to see the commitment to supporting social landlords to do so, particularly important if all homes are to meet the same quality standards in the future. We welcome the proposal to mainstream standards of accessibility in order to deliver homes that are future proof and adapt to people’s changing needs.
“We look forward to seeing further detail of the strategy’s proposals and to working with the next government to support our members to deliver great quality homes that meets people’s needs and aspirations in the decades ahead.”
Dozens of tenants will have a brand new place to live thanks to the Council and its contractor CCG (Scotland) Ltd putting the finishing touches to new homes as part of a multimillion pound transformation of Craigmillar Town Centre.
The first new neighbours moving into Harewood Road have been visited by the Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Kate Campbell and Depute Convener Mandy Watt, who officially handed over the keys to the completed properties.
Edinburgh has one of the most ambitious house-building plans of any local authority in the UK and these are the first Council-led homes to complete now that the City’s construction industry is back up and running and households can safely move.
Contributing towards Edinburgh’s goal of building 20,000 affordable new homes and becoming a net carbon zero city by 2030, the highly energy-efficient development at Craigmillar features 194 homes with an innovative Sustainable Urban Drainage System for surface water collection and extensive communal green space.
The homes also benefit from a network of footpaths and cycle connections to Craigmillar Park. These properties will also test a number of elements of the “gold” building standard to help inform the Council’s approach to net zero carbon developments.
Designed by Architects Anderson Bell Christie and constructed by CCG, the site combines 61 homes for social rent and 133 for mid-market rent.
Councillor Kate Campbell, Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “It’s fantastic to meet with the new residents and see what a difference these bright and modern homes are going to make to their lives.
“Making sure everyone has access to a safe, warm and affordable place to live has long been our priority and it’s going to be as important as ever to progress our plans to build 20,000 new homes as we move on from the pandemic. So being able to get construction underway, see these homes complete in Craigmillar and move new tenants in is a big milestone.
“We’re also committed to pushing forward with a green recovery for the City and these homes, with their focus on low carbon and energy efficiency, are a perfect example of how we deliver a project which is great for residents and good for the local environment too.”
Councillor Mandy Watt, Depute Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, added: “Not only are these new homes a brilliant addition to our supply of affordable housing in Edinburgh, they’re part of a major project we’ve been leading on which invests in the whole Craigmillar community.
“The regeneration has helped to create new shared spaces for people to enjoy and has brought about opportunities for jobs and training. It’s a real transformation of the town centre which will benefit generations of Craigmillar residents and benefit our environment too, thanks to the use of really energy-efficient materials and design and the creation of new green spaces.”
“It’s a real joy to finally see families moving in and settling in to their new homes.”
As a direct result of their contract to redevelop Craigmillar Town Centre, CCG has provided a series of community benefit initiatives including three full-time jobs, four trade apprenticeships and two work placements. The local community has also benefited from donations to Grass Roots Clothing, the Craigmillar Literacy Trust, the Castlebrae Memorial Garden and the Richmond Hope Mile of Memories project.
Calum Murray, Director of CCG, said: “The importance of the home and our environment to health and wellbeing has never been more apparent than now and construction re-engagement has enabled the team at CCG to deliver a new place, providing essential housing completions just when they are most required.
“Huge credit is due to our construction team, the Council and not least to the local community for their support in a process that over the last five years has seen CCG deliver more than 580 homes in Craigmilllar.”
William and Adele Halliday plus their children have moved into a three-bedroom home. William said: “We have a 10 year old, a one year old and another on the way so the move is perfect timing for us as a family. We had been living nearby in a flat on the 10th floor of a high rise – now we have our own home and the kids have a garden to play in.
“It’s very spacious and modern. We’re delighted with it and enjoying settling in. Getting to my work is easy too with the public transport connections here in Craigmillar.”
Valerie McMillan couldn’t be happier with her adapted one bedroom home. Valerie said: “I love my new home, I’m here to stay. I feel so much more comfortable here and the house is really bright and sunny– I haven’t had to put the heating on once and it’s very warm.
“When I was 18 I lived on this street in my first home, now I’m 52 and I’ve come full circle. I’m home again. You notice a big difference in how the streets and the shops look. It’s all change and a really nice area with a tight community – everyone I’ve met says hello and is very friendly. Harewood Road is going to be beautiful once it’s finished.”
The £24.6 million investment at Craigmillar town centre is funded by the Council with £3.2 million in grant funding from the Scottish Government. The Council has nearly 800 affordable homes under construction across the city with nearly 3,500 new homes in design development.
Vulnerable customers of an Edinburgh housing and care provider are being able to keep in constant contact with friends and family – and where necessary their carers – during the Coronavirus lockdown thanks to its pioneering technology.
Blackwood has provided its customers with tablets complete with accessible care technology and wifi access to help keep them more digitally connected at all times, despite most being currently ‘shielded’ in their homes.
It has already led to a remarkable 800% increase in the function that allows customers to contact friends and family.
And with visits from care staff being impacted because of social distancing and virus protection measures, the technology is ensuring customers do not feel isolated as they can also keep in touch with carers via video calls, even those who use Blackwood’s night-time support service.
Each tablet gives customers access to CleverCogs™, Blackwood’s own bespoke care system, which enables people to stay in touch with friends and family through video chat, while also allowing them to catch up on their favourite tv shows, access information and receive calendar reminders of care visits and medication.
The system allows customers to attend GP appointments through the NHS service, Near Me, which is linked with more than 30 GPs across Scotland.
CleverCogs™ is personalised to each customer meaning they will be able to easily access their interests, whether it’s music, sports or movies. The system is designed to only take users maximum three taps of the tablet to access any of its features.
Blackwood – which operates across Edinburgh as well as 28 other local authorities, providing housing and care support to people with a wide range of care needs – is also fronting a new campaign #ImInAwe to showcase the work of front-line social care workers during the pandemic crisis.
Anne Jenkins, Blackwood’s Innovation Delivery Manager, said: “As an organisation we understand and appreciate how uneasy and stressful the current lockdown situation is for many of our customers and their families.
“CleverCogs™ gives our customers and families some peace of mind in that they can stay fully connected throughout this, so reducing feelings of loneliness, anxiety or isolation.
“In fact where previous there was a reluctance to use CleverCogs™ as a communication tool, now customers are freely using it to keep in contact with friends and families.
“We personalise every CleverCogs™ device, which has had huge impacts on our customers’ lives. Being digitally connected really has the opportunity to change people’s lives – it opens their horizons to a whole new online world.
“In the current circumstances, it’s even more important that we facilitate every measure possible to ensure our customers have access to the required care and communication to allow them to continue living a fulfilled life as independently as possible.”
Currently the system features include information about Care, Safety, Housing, Home Automation, Information, Digital Inclusion as well as Health & Wellbeing.
CleverCogs™ has also been implemented across all of Blackwood’s care services, as well as being the ‘hub’ for each of its Blackwood Houses. Within the Blackwood Houses, CleverCogs™ enables customers to control lights, heating, doors and blinds.
Blackwood’s #ImInAwe campaign aims to shine a light on the important front-line role care employees are playing, to encourage businesses and individuals to look at ways they can show gratitude.
It’s estimated up to 150,000 staff work in the social care sector, providing care to people in care homes and retirement developments as well as care-at-home services. The social campaign is spreading online with the hashtag #ImInAwe to show collective support.
Blackwood customers are at the heart of shaping its future. With over 1500 properties across 29 local authorities, it is the largest provider in Scotland and helps the transform customers’ lives on a daily basis – at a time when funding is becoming increasingly tighter.
After 11 years leading the organisation, Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of Port of Leith Housing Association, will begin his retirement tomorrow.
Keith said: “I feel very fortunate and proud to have enjoyed a highly rewarding career in housing spanning four decades.
“During my time at Port of Leith Housing Association, it has been a privilege to help make a positive impact on people’s lives by providing excellent affordable homes in attractive neighbourhoods, providing welfare and money advice, and supporting people with employment and training opportunities.
“I will greatly miss working with our highly skilled and dedicated staff team and Board members, who I know are very well placed to continue this important work.”
Caitlin McCorry, Chairperson of Port of Leith Housing Association, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with Keith whose unwavering dedication to making Leith the best place to be will have a lasting impact on communities in Leith and north Edinburgh.
“I, along with the rest of the Board, would like to thank him for the vast array of achievements which have been delivered under his leadership. Fresh and innovative approaches to developing the culture, diversity and leadership of the organisation, and to the design of excellent affordable homes, have attracted recognition and an impressive collection of awards. We wish him a very happy retirement.”
Heather Kiteley (previously Director of Finance & Corporate Services at Port of Leith Housing Association) was named as Keith’s successor in January.
Heather said: “I, and the rest of the staff team, will miss Keith and we are grateful that he has led our organisation to such a strong position. We look forward to being able to mark his retirement after lockdown.
“As we respond to the challenges presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, it can be difficult to think beyond the present. However, I’m thinking about the future of the Port of Leith Housing Association Group.
“I feel very excited about working with our excellent staff, customers and members of the community to build on Keith’s work through our new five-year strategic plan which will see us provide excellent affordable homes and life-changing services in brilliant communities.”
