Caledonia Housing Association has bid a fond farewell to its integration director Lawrie West who left the Association last week.

Lawrie has been a valued and integral member of the team at Caledonia in the roles of housing manager and depute chief executive over his 14 years firstly with Perthshire Housing Association; and subsequently at Caledonia over the past five years as the Association’s integration director. In this role, Lawrie played an instrumental part in ensuring the success of the merger between Perthshire and Servite Housing Associations that formed Caledonia almost five years ago.

Over recent years Lawrie has worked tirelessly in ensuring the development and successful implementation of Caledonia’s new partnership arrangements with Cordale and Bellsmyre Housing Associations in West Dunbartonshire.

Lawrie’s career in housing has now spanned almost 40 years. The starting point was in 1978 when he worked on the development of the Tenants’ Rights (Scotland) Act 1980 as an Executive Officer at the Scottish Office. In between times Lawrie worked in various senior positions in local authorities and the private sector that saw him criss-cross Scotland and London before taking up a position with Perthshire in the late 1990s.

Julie Cosgrove, Caledonia Housing Association chief executive, said: “Lawrie has played a big part in Perthshire and now Caledonia. I have worked closely with him since the formation of Caledonia and saw first-hand his dedication and studious approach to his role and commitment to the highest standards. I would personally like to thank him and give him my best wishes for the future, whatever he turns his energy and attention to.”

Lawrie West said: “I have technically reached and crossed my retirement age. I’ve loved working with Caledonia. It’s the best organisation I’ve ever worked for. And I can think of few better pursuits than being a part of a team providing homes and services for people in Tayside and the Vale of Leven. Work is where I get my sense of purpose and place in this world so I’ll not be making any hasty decisions about retirement just yet. However I’m looking forward to a break over the Spring and Summer. If the wanderlust has been suitably indulged I suspect come the Autumn I’ll be looking for further interesting work to stop me ‘wearyin’ awa’”

Everyone at Caledonia Housing Association wished Lawrie all the very best whatever his future endeavours.