News

We’re delighted to sponsor Priority Need, a new play highlighting the impact of homelessness, at Norwich Cathedral. Cardboard Citizens will be performing the play in the cathedral nave on Friday 26 January at 7.00pm.

You can buy tickets (£8.50/£5) here.

Theatre company Cardboard Citizens have been making life-changing theatre with and for homeless people for 25 years. Priority Need is a ‘sequel’ to the company’s adaptation of Cathy Come Home, picking up on many of the issues around homelessness in a contemporary setting. The performance is part of the ongoing work for the Homes for Cathy Group.

Priority Need is part of a weekend of events at Norwich Cathedral, including a sponsored sleepout in the cloisters on Friday 26 January. Our CEO Michael Newey will be taking part in the sleepout challenge – to sponsor him, see link below.

On Sunday 28 January, Michael will also give the address at Choral Matins (10.30am). Afterwards, from 12.30pm, he will present a film about the links between domestic violence and homelessness, with a Q&A, in the Weston Room (soup and roll lunch provided).

All money raised from the weekend will go to the Church Urban Fund to support its work with the homeless. The Fund currently has projects in Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn, as well as in cities across England

Michael Newey said: “It’s a privilege for us to sponsor this performance and support the fantastic work of the Homes for Cathy group. I’m looking forward to seeing the play and also to raising awareness among the cathedral congregation of the devastating impact of homelessness in our communities.”

Canon Andy Bryant said: “At Norwich Cathedral we’re aware that homelessness in our city and across the country is on the rise. Please do come and join us and help us raise funds for a very good cause.”

To sponsor Michael on the sleepout challenge and support the Church Urban Fund, click here.

 

Read the Eastern Daily News article, 23 January 2018

 

 

Starting next Monday (8 January 2018), we’re bringing our cleaning and window cleaning services in-house, as Broadland Facilities Services.

This is due to the current contract with CGM coming to a close. Please bear with us during this transition period. We apologise in advance to tenants for any changes to cleaning schedules. For queries about the new cleaning service, please contact Sonia Wyatt on Sonia.wyatt@broadlandgroup.org.

 

 

Partner organisations from across Norfolk attended our exclusive screening of I, Daniel Blake, followed by a Q&A with social housing experts.

Broadland Housing organised the event to highlight the growing issue of homelessness, and encourage joint initiatives to tackle it.

Representatives from Shelter, Norwich City Council and other local organisations watched Ken Loach’s award-winning film at Stage Two, Norwich Theatre Royal.

The screening was followed by a Q&A session, chaired by Broadland Housing Patron, Caroline Pickering. The panel of experts included:

• Cllr Karen Davis, Labour City Councillor and cabinet member for social inclusion
• Lesley Burdett, Hub Manager, Shelter Eastern Counties
• Dr Simon Hibberd, Board member, Broadland Housing, a local GP for 30 years
• Ivan Johnson, Executive Housing Director, Broadland Housing

 

The discussion covered issues such as:

• The impact of Universal Credit roll-out and how many tenants are falling into arrears due to payment problems, sanctions etc, and becoming vulnerable to loan sharks
• The 30% increase in foodbanks use since April 2017 and the amount spent by the NHS (£29 billion last year) on conditions allied to poverty (“a sick system causes sickness,” said Dr Hibberd, pictured above)
• The number of people with mental health issues, particularly anxiety, being passed as ‘fit for work’ and losing their ESA (Employment and Support Allowance), even though more than 50% of ESA claimants win their case on appeal
• How some local GPs are charging £50 to write a letter in support of an ESA appeal
• The lack of free, digital access for rural communities in Norfolk. (“Norwich City Council’s digital inclusion hubs are working well in Norwich,” said Councillor Davis)

 

Two main actions were agreed from the evening:

• Broadland to liaise with the Local Medical Committee, and to request that they write to GPs asking them not to charge for letters supporting ESA appeals, as claimants often have no money to pay for them
• Broadland to prepare for Universal Credit roll-out throughout Norfolk in 2018 by working more closely with credit unions and encouraging tenants to join and save with one.

 

Commenting on the event, Lesley Burdett (pictured, far left) said:

“Ken Loach has put into focus how difficult it is for people to get through the welfare system. Daniel Blake can’t get in because it’s digital access only. The film highlights that it’s real people behind these systems – one size doesn’t fit all. It’s saying we need less ‘systems thinking’ and more human kindness.”

 

Michael Newey, Chief Executive of Broadland Housing, added:

“We are pleased to see so many of our partner agencies here today. This is a powerful film with a very topical message. It’s a great opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of changes in the benefit system and the, sometimes, disastrous consequences for families and individuals.  Often this leads to homelessness and organisations need to work more closely together to address the issues and find answers that will mitigate the potentially damaging impact.

 

In 2016 Broadland hosted a special screening of Ken Loach’s Cathy Come Home to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the influential television drama. Like I, Daniel Blake today, Cathy Come Home provoked an outpouring of public sympathy that translated into support for new homelessness charities Shelter and Crisis.

Read more about the panel members.

Read more about how Broadland Housing’s Better Together campaign is working to raise awareness of loneliness and the impact of social isolation.

 

Broadland Housing Association recently underwent Homes & Communities Agency (HCA) in-depth assessment. We are pleased to report that we have been graded as G1 for governance and V2 for viability.

The V2 represents a regrade for the Group, which was previously V1. It indicates that we are still compliant with HCA viability standards for registered providers, but that we have significantly increased our risk appetite and stretched our financial plans to deliver on our considerable development ambitions, while also looking after our existing properties and protecting services to our tenants.

Chris Ewbank, BHA Chair and CFO of St John’s College Cambridge, commented:

“I’m pleased that the HCA recognised our compliance with their standards and particularly the strength of our governance arrangements. Since I joined the Board in April, I’ve been impressed with the Board’s rigorous approach to governance matters and the proactive way it goes about maintaining sound governance.”

Michael Newey, Group Chief Executive, commented:

“After several years of low-development delivery, in 2016 our board and executive team committed the organisation to a much larger programme to contribute to meeting the significant housing needs of families and individuals in Norfolk and north Suffolk. As a result, we have now committed plans to deliver 600 new affordable homes over the next 4 years, supported by the development and sale of 200 homes in the open market.”

Read the HCA’s regulatory judgement on Broadland Housing.

Read about how the HCA regulates its standards.