Keswick Community Housing Trust
Southey Court under construction.
Category: Housing
Keswick Community Housing Trust (KCHT) has been pioneering community led housing for over fifteen years, aiming to address the chronic shortfall of housing which is affordable to people on low and average wages in the Keswick area. KCHT has an impressive track record of housing delivery and tenancy management and have played a vital role in the shaping of national policy approaches to funding shared ownership properties so that they make sense in this tourist honey-pot area. This celebration recognises the tireless work of the entirely voluntary organisation and the Trust’s work to plan for the future of the community of Keswick, of the homes we manage and the Housing Trust itself.
Chair of the group since registration as an Industrial and Provident Society in 2010, Bill Bewley received the Kings Award for Voluntary Service on behalf of the Trust in 2024. Having overseen the development and management of 40 properties, and with ambition for more to come, in 2025, Bill passes the role of Chair to Peter Toes, who has been actively learning the ropes as Vice Chair for two years. Bill will continue to share his experience with the Trust as Vice Chair.
The Trust has a considerable portfolio of community achievement. KCHT has a reputation of integrity, based on clear understanding of local housing market failures and single-minded pursuit of better outcomes for local workers and families who cannot access social housing, but who are priced out of the inflated local rental and buying market. But, even after four separate property developments, the Trust know there is more to be done; many more homes in Keswick continue to be lost to short term let and second home use than are being built. KCHT are planning to carry on making a difference for people in Keswick, one home at a time.
Where
Keswick.
What are you most proud of?
Outgoing Chair, Bill said this on receipt of the Kings Award:
“This award is fantastic recognition for the many volunteers, past and present, who have worked so tirelessly to support KCHT in providing over 40 safe, secure, affordable homes - enabling people with links to the Keswick area through family and work to live here, raise families and contribute to keeping Keswick a vibrant community.
In my opinion, three factors are at the heart of our success:
The support of the people of Keswick– the £60,000 raised in 2012 in response to our community investment share issue enabled us to buy our first site at St Johns, secure planning permission, unlock government grant funding and ultimately build 11 houses. This provided the foundations on which we have been able to continue growing.
Organisations with sites in Keswick, who understood our vision and worked with us so that "potential areas" could be transformed into real homes. St Johns sold us part of their grave yard that was unsuitable for burial – which became our first development – aptly called The Hopes. Allerdale Council sold us a disused toilet block for a nominal amount, enabling us to provide 4 one bed flats. Keswick Methodist Church, who after their own successful transformation of their main church building, sold us their old church hall site for the provision of a further 4 homes.
Our volunteers who give so generously of their time and effort to ensure that KCHT meets our responsibilities as a Registered Provider of Social Housing and fulfils our landlord responsibilities towards our residents. Their actions allow us to operate with lower costs than other social housing providers and to gradually build up our reserves in readiness for future opportunities.
We are proud of what we've achieved so far, but we can't rest on our laurels. The reality is that the challenge is even greater than when we started out. In a 10 year period from 2013, Keswick has seen over 280 properties change to holiday homes and second homes, while only 80 new properties have been added. We therefore remain committed to investigate new opportunities to increase the number of homes we are responsible for.”
How did you get people involved?
In preparation for changing leadership, the Board have been examining their ways of working, in anticipation of planned change and knowledge that sometimes change is unexpected. The aim to ensure that the knowledge they have amassed in more than a decade is, as far as possible, accessible to future Board members, and that the working practices of this group of volunteers is clear and robust enough to support a smooth transition to new people joining as founder members step back.
New Chair, Peter says, "It’s truly amazing what a small group of dedicated and enthused volunteers have managed to achieve over the past 15 years. From a standing start, we have a brilliant platform on which to continue growing, enabling KCHT to continue playing a key part in the community for many generations to come. I look forward as chair in continuing this adventure started by Bill and the original group of volunteers."
Secretary, Benita Lapthorn, makes sure that each of the 10 Board members has the information they need to carry out their duties with care and relevant knowledge. With almost ten years as a KCHT volunteer herself, Benita is passionate and knowledgeable. Like all Board members, she is hands on with almost everything that the Trust does. This includes making decisions about housing allocations, maintaining the raft of policies required to operate a regulated Housing Association, raising awareness of the nuances of the housing issues in Keswick with locals and with politicians and lobbying for change when housing policies are clearly not working.
What difference did the project make?
The social purpose of the organisation shines through the way they handle everything the Trust does. The priority all the time is to deliver the best service to their tenants, who are valued for what they bring to the community as well as for paying their rent.
Everyday, 40 families benefit directly from the provision of secure and fair housing in Keswick.
What do you hope for the future of your project?
Celebrating the endurance and hard work of a group who, 15 years in, still share a vision for fairer housing and are planning for the next 15 years of their journey together.
