L&Q has been shortlisted for a Croydon Business Excellence Award

The housing association has been shortlisted for a Contribution to the Community award after being nominated by Croydon Commitment for supporting theirs Ways 2 Work programme, which holds workshops for local residents to help them apply for new jobs.

Employees volunteered their time to take part in CV workshops, give careers talks and hold a careers fair, as well as promoting jobs at their Addiscombe Oaks development and providing donations for the Croydon Commitments Christmas food collection.

L&Q has also supported Friends of Dartnell Park, securing £5,800 of funding and additional labour to make the much-loved local park more accessible. The money and labour also helped create raised flowerbeds, planters and benches to improve the space for the local community.

A £21,000 grant awarded by L&Q’s Place Makers fund has supported the Croydon Youth Zone, a centre for eight to 19 year-olds. The housing association has also recycled waste wood from their Addiscombe Oaks development through Community Wood Recycling, which helps participants with training and employment opportunities as the wood is resold.

L&Q manages 1,400 existing homes in Croydon, with a further 309 homes at Addiscombe Oaks and Taberner House in the development pipeline.

Addiscombe Oaks is a 137 home development, of which over half will be affordable housing to meet local need.

The winner of the Contribution to the Community award will now be decided by the public, who can vote until Friday 9 December.