Unity Homes and Enterprise, a Leeds-based BME housing association, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at The Sheepscar, near its Chapeltown headquarters, highlighting a year of both progress and challenges. Chair Abdul Hamid opened the meeting by acknowledging the hurdles faced by the organisation and its tenants over the past year, notably due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
“Rising costs for materials, maintenance components, and contractor labour have impacted our operations,” Mr Hamid stated. “However, the greatest burden has fallen on our tenants, many of whom are struggling to afford food, housing, and overall wellbeing.”
Despite these challenges, Mr Hamid expressed pride in the progress Unity has made towards its corporate objectives. Key achievements included the implementation of a new system for monitoring building compliance, the launch of outreach services aimed at making business advice more accessible to local residents, and the establishment of a skilled matrix framework to enhance staff training and development.
Looking ahead, Mr Hamid shared Unity’s ambitious plans for future growth and service improvement. Upcoming priorities include a comprehensive revamp of the association’s website to facilitate real-time access to information and self-service options for customers. Additionally, Unity aims to develop a new strategy focused on enhancing tenant satisfaction across its high-priority estates and improving the home repairs service.
“We will continue to listen to our residents, understand their needs, and involve them in decision-making processes,” Mr Hamid added. “We have built a solid foundation, and I am confident that we will continue to thrive and make a meaningful difference in our communities.”
Unity’s Chief Executive Cedric Boston emphasized that the organisation’s role extends beyond housing. “Getting a decent home is just the first step; securing employment is vital for our community,” he remarked. Mr Boston revealed that in the last financial year, Unity had successfully supported 178 individuals into employment, provided training to 274 people, and assisted 22 others in finding volunteering opportunities.
“Through our enterprise subsidiary, we provide local businesses with access to rental spaces, which has resulted in 153 business tenants employing over 800 people in the Chapeltown area,” he stated. “We are committed to developing our range of business courses to assist aspiring entrepreneurs in establishing and growing their ventures.”
Mr Boston highlighted Unity’s ambition to address community needs by providing opportunities for local talent to thrive. His remarks were complemented by contributions from Matthew Williamson of West Yorkshire Police and former Leeds Lord Mayor Alison Garthwaite. In a heartfelt address, Ms Garthwaite spoke about her long-standing efforts to combat prejudice and inequality in Leeds, particularly concerning women, BME individuals, and the LGBT community.
She praised Unity’s impact, stating, “Without housing associations providing social housing, I truly do not know how many people would manage.” Ms Garthwaite also celebrated the opening of Unity’s new business hub at the Leeds Media Centre, which she inaugurated earlier this year.
The meeting concluded with an uplifting musical performance by Reggie’s Reggae Choir, also based in Chapeltown, followed by a buffet dinner for attendees.
