Lower Regents Coalition cleans up at social value awards

An eco-conscious community group nominated by L&Q has won a Social Value Ally award at the Social Value Supply-Chain Awards.

Lower Regents Coalition was presented the accolade during a ceremony at the British Museum on Thursday 28 November.

The awards are organised by the Social Value Leadership Group (SVLG), a network of over 50 housing associations, local authorities and other organisations working within the housing sector.

Major Works investment programme partner colleagues, Social Value Managers Karen Field, of Equans UK and Ireland, and Dovile Catterick, of Wates Group, who had been shortlisted as finalists in the Best Social Value Leader category, also received Rising Star certificates.

Lower Regents Coalition was nominated by L&Q Community Development Lead Sharon Boot as a ‘third-party social value advocate/organisation whose work supports the social value agenda’.

Sharon said:

“I’m thrilled the work of the Lower Regent’s Coalition has been recognised. The group has done so much to revitalise a 1km stretch of the canal and surrounding area. By offering local people opportunities to get involved in environmental work, it’s also helped build skills and community cohesion. This is a much-deserved win.”

Following the group’s win, Dave Bedford, a member of L&Q’s Resident Services Board and co-founder of Lower Regents Coalition, said:

“It was a bit of a shock as we weren’t expecting it and it’s always nice to get a bit of recognition and a thank you for all the volunteers. It was also really encouraging to see so many contractors putting so much into social value. The support from L&Q and Equans has been brilliant.

“The award has come at a good time because two weeks ago our lock up was broken into and everything of value was stolen and everything that wasn’t worth anything was trashed. We have lost around £8,000 of equipment, so have had to cancel our November and December events. So, the awards were something nice to happen.”

Lower Regents Coalition has set up a Just Giving page for people to donate so it can replace its equipment.

Other winners included Alphatrack, Huws Gray, Just Ask/Nexgen Group, Thames 21, PiLON, Tom Quinn and Pinnacle.