Celebrating 25 years of Edinburgh Tenants Federation

(from left) Clare MacGillivray, ETF development coordinator, Sarah Boyack MSP, Betty Stevenson convenor of ETF, Cllr Cammy Day, housing and community safety leader, City of Edinburgh Council, Maud Wylie ETF vice convenor. Photo credited to Caroline Pearson.
(from left) Clare MacGillivray, ETF development coordinator, Sarah Boyack MSP, Betty Stevenson convenor of ETF, Cllr Cammy Day, housing and community safety leader, City of Edinburgh Council, Maud Wylie ETF vice convenor. Photo credited to Caroline Pearson.

Edinburgh Tenants Federation (ETF) celebrated its 25th Anniversary this week with a Parliamentary Reception hosted by Sarah Boyack MSP.

The organisation, which has a membership of over 40 tenants and residents groups across the city, was joined in the celebrations by members old and new along with representatives from the Tenants Information Service, Blackwood Homes and Care, the International Association for Community Development (IACD), Shakti Women’s Aid and Inverkeithing Community Initiative.

MSPs Gordon MacDonald and Alison Johnstone also came to celebrate.

The evening received speeches from Sarah Boyack MSP, convenor Betty Stevenson and vice convenor Maud Wylie who thanked everyone for attending and highlighted that the success of ETF could not have been achieved without the determination and commitment from the tenant volunteers.

Finally Councillor Cammy Day mentioned the work that Edinburgh City Council and ETF have worked on over the years in particular the successful Tenant Led Inspections.

Photo credited to Caroline Pearson.
Photo credited to Caroline Pearson.

Sarah Boyack MSP said: “The work of the Federation over the years has been fantastic. It has been great to see the work that has been done supporting tenants with mental ill health and campaigning for fairer rents. I was very encouraged to hear that the Federation are already working with the Syrian community in helping the refugees coming to settle in to the city.”

In addressing the reception on behalf of Edinburgh’s tenants, Betty Stevenson, Convenor of the Federation said: “Thanks to Sarah for hosting this event for us; it was wonderful to see so many people supporting the work of the Federation. Thanks to all those who have been involved over the years, here’s to the next 25.”

A Parliamentary Exhibition where MSPs and staff can view photos and news stories dating back to the 1980’s and how the Federation was formed ended yesterday.

@EdinburghTenant

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