Cloch Housing Association has paid tribute to its former director Mairi Brown who passed away suddenly on March 7 at the age of 65.

A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing, Mairi led Cloch for 13 years before moving to East Kilbride Housing Association in 1999.

Mairi had worked within the housing sector since 1980. For six years she was development officer/manager with Govan Housing Association and then moved to Cloch Housing Association in 1986 as director for 13 years. She then spent 15 years at East Kilbride HA before retiring in 2014.

Mairi was committed to improving housing conditions within Inverclyde and Cloch, with Mairi at the helm, embarked on a significant improvement and development programme which led to the regeneration of the Wellpark and Whinhill areas amongst others.

During her period as director she also managed stock transfers from Inverclyde District Council in the Strone Farm area and from Scottish Homes in the east end of Greenock. This resulted in Cloch growing from a few hundred units to over 1,000 units in management over a relatively short period of time.

She also supported the wider housing association and social housing sector having served on the boards of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, the Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland and other industry groups.

Paul McVey, the Association’s current director, said: “Despite taking over the helm at Cloch some 14 years after Mairi left, her legacy was still very evident in Cloch. She left Cloch a bigger and better Association than it was when she arrived and was a trailblazer in creating new communities and homes.

“I knew Mairi as a really dedicated housing worker – someone who would argue passionately for her Association and the people it represented. Those people who worked directly with Mairi talk of someone with a determination to succeed and a passion for doing what’s right – she was a champion of the voluntary housing sector and will be sorely missed.”

Nick Jardine, chief executive of Oak Tree Housing Association, who worked closely with Mairi during her time at Cloch, added: “A number of the current senior staff at Cloch and Oak Tree HA’s came into housing in their first job under Mairi and were inspired by her passion to make housing a career.

“Staff talk of her patience, her willingness to spend time training them and the support she gave them to undergo further education to further their careers. Mostly they remember her commitment to Cloch HA, the voluntary movement and to improving housing conditions in Inverclyde. Mairi is still remembered with fondness and respect and she set a benchmark in housing standards we still aspire to today.”

Mairi’s funeral service was held on March 18 at Clydebank Crematorium at which representatives from the Association, past and present, attended.

The Association would like to extend its condolences to Mairi’s family and friends at this very difficult time.