"I cried when we got the keys" - New tenants delighted to take up homes after merger of Shropshire housing associations

The tenants were able to move into houses in Telford and Shrewsbury owned and run by Housing Plus Group, the largest housing association in the West Midlands following the merger of Wrekin Housing Group and Housing Plus Group.

The new Housing Plus Group manages more than 33,000 homes across Shropshire, Staffordshire and Telford and Wrekin and plans to invest an additional £55 million in existing homes and will be a key developer of new homes over the next 5 years. 

The new merger has already benefitted a number of people who have taken up new homes, with Martin Boffey, 64 and Dawn Boffey, 61 recently moving into their new bungalow in Priorslee.

Mr Boffey said: “I cried when we got the keys and I can’t express how elated we were.

“It’s something we’ve been waiting for a long time. We’re both getting older, so this bungalow is perfect for our needs. 

"Our previous home was getting too much for us to maintain but this meets our needs.”

Ms Boffey said: “It’s a dream come true and a new start. The whole process has been really smooth. 

"Amy Littler (Senior Housing Executive) has been brilliant throughout the process as she’s helped us every step of the way. This new home has given us a new lease of life.”

The bungalow is part of 30 affordable homes that the new Housing Plus Group have developed in Priorslee in partnership with Millar Homes.

At Queenswood, a new £11.9 million extra care scheme in Newport, Maggie Burns, 60, and Paul Burns, 66, were settling into their new apartment.

Mr Burns said: “It’s absolutely fantastic.

“I have Parkinson’s disease and Maggie has cancer, so we had to future proof ourselves. 

"We were guided towards it by occupational therapy and social workers who said both of these conditions don’t go away. 

"It was a big decision and a stressful time to come here but in all honesty the staff have been fantastic.”

Ms Burns said: “I feel like we’ve lived here forever, and the bistro is fab. We’re in there all the time.

“We’ve lived in Newport for 10 years, so it was nice not to move away because all of our friends and our support group are here. 

"We walked into the town this morning and it’s just a 9-minute walk. 

"It’s a perfect location and the apartments are lovely, they’re all nice and new and the staff can’t do enough for you. 

"It’s nice because had made what could have been a very difficult move and easy one.”

James Beasty, 60, received the keys to apartment in Shrewsbury from Senior Housing Executive Louise Weston.

He said: “It feels great to get the keys. I had been living with my family so it’s fantastic to have my own space.

“This is my first housing association property. Affordability has been a big factor and it’s what you get for your money. 

"There’s no way I’d be able rent a flat like this privately in Shrewsbury. 

"The support has also been fantastic as Louise and the team have kept me updated and I’m excited for my future here.”

Wayne Gethings, Group Chief Executive of the new Housing Plus Group said: "We are delighted to welcome our first tenants into their new homes under the banner of the new Housing Plus Group. 

"This moment represents the culmination of a lot of hard work and collaboration to bring our organisations together. 

"Our mission is to provide more than just housing as we want to create vibrant communities where people feel supported and empowered to thrive. 

"This is just the start of the positive impact we aim to deliver for our customers and the communities we serve."