Car in the community
Have car, will travel. For L&H
Homes, providing a community vehicle to boost resident involvement
across 28 districts has been hugely successful.
The association uses the vehicle to:
- Organise events, consult residents and build relationships with
customers
- Provide local tenancy and maintenance surgeries
- Raise awareness of the association’s work and partnerships with
Groundwork, PCSOs, fire service and Environmental Health
- Widen engagement among under-represented groups.
Alex Ray, director of operation services,
said: “initially our biggest driver was to get out there and make
sure residents see us. That way, we got to know people better and
could offer support.”
For example, residents on one Lincoln estate
had problems with their heating. Inspections showed the
system worked, but some people found it hard to use. So
Longhurst teamed up with Peterborough Energy Trust and toured
estates in the vehicle. They showed people how to make the
most of their heating systems, and how to negotiate better energy
deals. It helped people to save case and keep warm.
With so many uses, it’s important to
prioritise vehicle usage. Alex explained: it’s a juggling
act. We focus on increasing resident involvement, tackling
local concerns and covering as many areas as possible.
Please click on the images to enlarge