Rural Stirling Housing Association’s longest standing Board member David Frood has announced his retirement after 29 years’ service.

David’s decades of commitment were recognised at the recent AGM of the Association held in Callander.

Paying tribute, Margaret Vass, chairperson at Rural Stirling Housing Association, (RSHA) said: “David has made an invaluable contribution to the development of rural social housing for the best part of 30 years. His ambition of ensuring new homes were built, existing homes were renovated, and local people were involved, has positively benefited many people across our communities and his colourful and refreshing approach has made him a pleasure to work alongside. On behalf of the Association, I wish to thank him for his dedication and wish him a long and happy retirement.”

Joining the Rural Housing Steering Group in 1989, David chaired the inaugural meeting of RSHA in 1990 and established a clear vision of achieving the provision of high-quality affordable housing in rural areas. This was finally realised in his own village of Strathblane in 2016 when the first affordable homes for 40 years were built as part of a commercial development by housebuilder CALA. Fourteen new homes were constructed to meet local needs, comprising eight flats, four houses and two bungalows.

Commenting on his involvement, David said: “In the early days we were a group of people with little experience of the issues around the development and management of social housing but the common bond we had was our desire to ensure affordable homes were built in our communities that met the needs of local people across our large and socially diverse rural area. Initially, my ambition was for my own village and I’m delighted to be able to retire with this achievement now fulfilled.”