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Sandra celebrates her “silver” service with Colne Housing
4th September 2007
Colchester-based Colne Housing Society has honoured the woman who has been the driving force behind the growth of almost 1500 affordable homes in north Essex over 25 years at a special celebration held in Colchester Castle.
Colne’s Development Director Sandra Howard, was acclaimed as the public face of the society; she has been closely involved with the fast pace of growth of Colne Housing Society for a quarter of a century.
Sandra has worked on very many of the schemes which add up to more than 1,900 properties owned and managed by Colne Housing Society in north Essex.
Attended by friends and colleagues, including Peter Powell, Senior Partner at Colchester-based solicitors Ellison’s with whom Colne Housing Society works closely, Sandra celebrated her 25 years “silver” service with a surprise party in Colchester Castle.
Paying tribute to Sandra’s commitment to the Society, Chief Executive Mark Powell Davies said: “Sandra has been the engine behind so many new developments – she is the public face of Colne Housing and we are immensely proud of all she has achieved.
“Sandra is a true professional who never gives up on a scheme. She has fantastic relationships with partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors and she is an excellent ambassador for Colne.”
Colne Housing Chairman Robert Leng described her as, “playing a pivotal role” in Colne’s rapid growth and achievements.
Sandra has played a large part in the expansion of Colne Housing Society since she joined in 1982 when the organisation looked very different. At that time it had just eight staff and 443 homes with a turnover of £500,000 and assets of £6m.
Today the Society has 50 staff managing nearly 2000 homes with a turnover of more than £10m annually and assets of nearly £100m.
Sandra qualified as a housing professional in 1968, worked in a variety of roles with Islington and moved to Ipswich Borough Council as Principal Housing Officer in 1974.
She was appointed to Colne Housing Society in 1982 as Administrative Assistant and quickly promoted to take responsibility for development.
Today she is Development Director for Colne and Regional Development Director for Iceni Homes, a joint venture between Colne, Cotman and Suffolk Housing Societies.
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