New chair for Shropshire Rural Housing Association
A housing association in Shropshire has welcomed a new chair of the board who has pledged to put tenants at the heart of the organisation.
Celia Bahrami, who has decades of experience in the public sector, takes the reins of Shropshire Rural Housing Association after being a key member of the board for the past six years.
The association owns and manages around 400 properties, providing affordable homes for people in rural areas across Shropshire.
Celia takes on the role of chair following the completion of Sam Hine’s full term as chair, saying the association is in a “great place to move forward”.
She said: “We have had a fantastic period recently with a big emphasis on new developments, culminating in the opening of a wonderful scheme of 13 affordable homes in Chirbury.
“However, looking forward to the rest of this year and beyond, we are making even more effort to look after our existing tenants and their properties.
“For example, we are currently in the process of surveying all of our properties and talking to tenants to see if any repairs are needed or improvements can be made.
“We are also currently carrying out our tenant satisfaction survey, asking every one of our tenants for feedback on the condition of their homes and how we can best meet their needs as a housing association.
“During my time on the board I have been proud to help the organisation evolve towards a more tenant-focused approach, and I am looking forward to expanding this over the coming months and years.
“I am delighted to take this opportunity following the excellent leadership of Sam Hine, who along with our fantastic staff team has put Shropshire Rural Housing Association in a great place to move forward.”
John Green, chief executive of Shropshire Rural, welcomed Celia Bahrami to the role and thanked Sam Hine for her nine years as chair of the board.
“Having a strong board of trustees is vital for an organisation like ours, and we are extremely grateful for their commitment and expertise,” he said.
“Sam Hine has been a tremendous chair for the past nine years and we are lucky to have someone as knowledgeable as Celia Bahrami to take up the role.
“We look forward to continuing our work to provide the best possible service to our tenants across Shropshire.”
