ERoSH announces its national competition winners

ERoSH, the national consortium for sheltered and retirement housing, has published the winners of its 2005 Take another LOOK at sheltered housing national competition.

The competition included six categories and the winners of each are:

1. A Healthy Vision - Debbie Thomas, Scheme Manager, ‘Johnnie' Johnson Housing
2. Through the Ages - Lesley Rattue, Lifestyle Promoter,                       Testway Housing
3. The Community Spirit, sponsored by Centre for Sheltered Housing Studies - Janet Bufton, Scheme Manager, Gwerin Housing
4. Support in focus - Pat Black, Scheme Manager, Sanctuary Housing Association  
5. A day in the life - Christine Cooper, Head of Housing Management, Peerless Housing Group
6. Scheme Manager of the Year, sponsored by Association of Retirement Housing Managers - Pauline Hanson, House Manager, Goldsborough Estates.

The winning line up includes a couple of familiar names:

• Another of 'Johnnie' Johnson Housing’s resident managers, Julia Keeling, took the top prize in the 2004 Why I Enjoy Supporting People At Home competition, and
• Sanctuary's scheme manager, Pat Black, winner of this year's 'Support in focus' category, won the 'Community Spirit' prize in the 2003 Excellence in Supporting People At Home competition.

Gwerin Housing is the first Welsh housing association to be nominated and win a category in an ERoSH competition.

All six winners were presented with their awards at a special ceremony held at St Stephen’s Club, London, on Wednesday 25 January 2006.  Each winner received a commemorative plaque and a £500 cheque to spend on their scheme.

There were two runners up in each category who were presented with a certificate:

1. A Healthy Vision
   Peggy Jack, Scheme Manager, SPH Housing
   Sylvia Brims, Services Manager, SLFHA Ltd 
2. Through the Ages
   Marion Gavin, Scheme Manager, Manor Court & Burgess Hill School for Girls
   Carol Birch, Head of Service - Older Persons, Orwell Housing Association 
3. The Community Spirit
   Tracey Alexander, Activity Co-ordinator, Orwell Housing Association
   Diane Chandler, Scheme Manager, Severnside Housing Trust
4. Support in focus
   Kirstie Jones, Housing Officer, Wales & West HA
   Mrs B Burnell, Scheme Manager, Teachers Housing Association 
5. A day in the life
   Jo-Ann Bradley, Extra Care Estate Manager, Hanover HA
   Mark Elliott, Policy Officer, Harvest Housing Group
6. Scheme Manager of the Year
   Irene Cordingley, House Manager, Goldsborough Estates
   Rosemary Sheppeard, House Manager, Goldsborough Estates

ERoSH plans to announce details of its 2006 competition in Spring 2006.