Last Friday, 230 colleagues gathered together all under one roof, to celebrate two decades of incredible achievements at Valleys to Coast. Together, we’ve made significant strides that have left a lasting impact:
- We’ve become a leading housing association in Wales, addressing homelessness through careful allocation and development.
- We rank among the top RSLs in Wales for the lowest rent arrears, without resorting to legal action.
- We’ve grown our workforce, providing valuable local job opportunities.
- We’ve strengthened our partnerships with stakeholders.
- We’re transforming our approach to repairs and maintenance through our wholly-owned subsidiary, now called Llanw.
We kicked off the day by introducing our EDI approach, and we were honoured to be joined by the inspiring Colin Jackson. His powerful storytelling and message of dreaming big resonated deeply—reminding us that with determination, we can achieve anything.
After a well-deserved refreshment break, we revisited our organisational behaviours and celebrated teams and colleagues who embody these behaviours in their daily work.
Post-lunch, we unveiled our wholly owned subsidiary, “Llanw,” meaning ‘Tide’ in Welsh. Just like the tides, Llanw embodies reliability, dependability, refreshment, consistency, and unwavering commitment. It symbolises our promise to adapt and respond to the ever-changing needs of our customers, just as we adapt to the ebb and flow of the tides.
The name also pays homage to the stunning natural beauty of Bridgend, connecting with our name, Valleys to Coast, as the tides represent a constant flow from the streams and rivers of our valleys to our coast.
Wrapping up the day, our Board Chair, Anthony Whittaker, shared his pride in leading efforts to combat homelessness in Bridgend. Peter Cahill, the first Chief Executive of Valleys to Coast, took us on a journey back in time, revealing the mantra he lived by – MAD, Making a Difference. Lastly, our Chief Executive, Jo Oak, announced a £31.5 million investment into our homes, the most significant since the transfer.
Throughout the day, we heard from our customers, sharing their experiences of living in our homes for the past 20 years and what these homes mean to them.
Thank you to everyone who was part of this milestone celebration. Here’s to another 20 years of making a difference and positively impacting our community!