Fair press for tenants

A South Derbyshire resident is helping to challenge the perception of people living in social housing.

Dave Bown, of Etwall, has helped to produce Fair Press for Tenants, a guide created to educate and inform people about the valuable contribution tenants can, and do, make to their communities.

The retired Building Surveyor has been a South Derbyshire District Council tenant for 31 years and got involved with the Benefit to Society Campaign through the ARCH (Association of Retained Council Housing) Tenants’ Group.

Part of an 11-strong editorial team, Mr Bown worked alongside the National Union of Journalists’ (NUJ) Equalities Officer for the Manchester and Salford branch, Rachel Broady, to produce the booklet.

Mr Bown said:

“In this booklet, tenants speak out about how they are currently represented, the impact this has on them and their ideas on how to promote social housing in a fairer and more balanced way.

“Here in South Derbyshire, many Council tenants play a positive role within their communities - and this should be shouted about and promoted.”

Mr Bown has been involved with South Derbyshire’s Housing Services department as a tenant volunteer for more than 10 years.

He is keen to spread the word about the Fair Press for Tenants booklet and spoke about it at this year’s ARCH Tenants’ Conference, which took place at Birmingham City Council House.

More information about the Benefit to Society Campaign is available at www.benefittosociety.co.uk. 

13 November 2017