The event at the Gailes Hotel, Irvine, saw Alan West, chair of Irvine Housing Association, present the highlights of the year which included the launch of the Irvine Customer Service Centre (CSC) – an extension of Riverside’s contact centre in Liverpool creating job opportunities in Irvine.

In addition, due to the growing demand from customers, the association employed a second Money Advisor who joined its Community Involvement Team in October. The association was successful in achieving the prestigious Healthy Working Lives Gold Award as well as scooping the top award as ‘Scotland’s Employer of the Year’ and being named ‘Not-for-Profit Public Sector Employer of the Year’ at the Business Insider Scotland’s Best Employer Awards 2014.

One of the most anticipated highlights of the year was the completion of the Pennyburn Development as part of the Pennyburn regeneration project. Over the last three years Irvine Housing Association has attracted inward investment of £6.7 million to support the regeneration of the Pennyburn estate, Kilwinning including energy efficiency improvement works to existing properties and the demolition of the Pennyburn flats. A total of 22 new homes have now been built, and IHA were delighted to host the official opening of the estate by Pennyburn Regeneration Youth Development Enterprise (PRYDE).

Alan West, chair of Irvine Housing Association, said: “We are committed to creating homes and places where people want to live, and we’re proud to be delivering on the promise we made to the community when we joined Riverside four years ago. As a standalone organisation we would have been unable to deliver the demolition and regeneration project we have carried out. What a transformation. The removal of the flats has breathed new life into the area.”

Nicola Thom, interim managing director of the association, spoke of plans to provide more online services for customers and a building a more responsive service that meets the needs of those who are most vulnerable.

She highlighted the focus on plans to streamline how they deliver their services which will increase value for money and allow them to meet the changing needs of their customers.

A colourful account of the Association’s activities throughout 2014/15 can be downloaded in its Annual Review at www.irvineha.co.uk.

@IRVINEHA