We are delighted to be one of seven organisations shortlisted for the William Sutton Prize for Social Innovation.
Clarion Housing Group would not exist today without William Sutton, a 19th century entrepreneur who founded the UK’s first door-to-door parcel delivery service and bequeathed his fortune to provide much-needed housing for the poor.
Championing innovation for the good of society
Clarion, the UK's largest housing association, are looking for, “ground breaking new ideas which will make a positive impact on disadvantaged groups or communities...There are two distinct prizes, but the common theme is the value we place on innovation...A prize of up to £20,000 is available to the winner of both categories.”
Our aims at Urban Patchwork
In the widespread calls for improvements to the estate agency sector, for providing more housing and addressing the increasing levels of homelessness, we saw an opportunity to try and do all three. Our aims at Urban Patchwork are to:
- Provide professional and personable residential sales and lettings services, aiming to compete with market-leading agents, being a positive example of agency practice, influencing cultural change in the sector and supporting local homeless charities.
Our social aims are integral to how and why we do things and so far, this approach is leading to a high level of customer satisfaction. Since opening 19 months ago we have established ourselves in our local market in a challenging pre-Brexit context, receiving all 5-star reviews to date across vendors, landlords, tenants and buyers; have expressed our views on sector reforms, and have helped raised about £8000 for the 999 Club.
Our proposal for the William Sutton Prize
As we currently serve private individuals looking to buy, sell, rent or let, our proposal for the William Sutton Prize is to explore and develop new business partnerships so that we can move into new-build sales (open market and intermediary housing), build-to-rent tenant find and researching other ways we can help developers, housing associations and local authorities to retain/generate more social value than is commonly the case through their partnerships with agents. We also want to promote our concept to encourage other communities in setting up similar estate agent social enterprises.
Our Director of Comms & Social Impact, Tessa Gooding, presented to the judging panel on 7 October and the winner will be announced on 20 November.
On the judging panel are:
- Claire Miller, Chief Executive of Clarion Housing Group
- Peter Holbrook, CEO of Social Enterprise UK
- Greg Reed, CEO of HomeServe Group
- Peter Fortune, Deputy Leader of the London Borough of Bromley
- Biljana Savic, Urban Planner & Architect.
More information about the prize and those shortlisted can be read here (Urban Patchwork is featured on pages 26 & 27:
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