Ref: PRSH45
Date: 30th March 2015

More gold for housing association

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Stafford and Rural Homes (SARH) has been recognised for its efforts to create a healthier working environment.

The Stafford-based community landlord has been presented with a Staffordshire Workplace Health and Wellbeing Gold Award as part of a county-wide initiative to keep people fit and in work.

Organised by Staffordshire County Council, the awards recognise best practice when it comes to promoting a healthy culture for employees.

Leo Capernaros, Health Development Advisor at Staffordshire County Council, explained: "To minimise the demands on a delicate economy, it has become more important than ever to keep people fit and in work, and employers have a vital role to play in promoting healthy lifestyles.

"By actively encouraging and supporting employees in their efforts to improve their health, it's not just wider society that benefits. Businesses and other organisations benefit from lower rates of absenteeism, higher rates of staff retention and improved productivity.

"Since SARH was first awarded a Bronze Award in 2011, and a Silver Award in 2013, we've been particularly impressed by the way the housing association has embedded employee wellbeing at the heart of its strategy whilst engaging staff across its operations in a process of continuous improvement."

To achieve the Gold standard, SARH has organised a range of initiatives, including staging a Health and Wellbeing event for staff and invited other agencies to make presentations on healthy lifestyles to its employees.

The housing association also delivers an annual plan of activities for employees and distributes a monthly e-mail containing useful tips and advice.

News of the Gold Award follows the recent announcement that SARH has risen to number 10 in the Sunday Times Top 100 Best Not-for-Profit Organisations to work for.

Karen Armitage, SARH Chief Executive, commented: "As an organisation, we are committed to ensuring our staff have the chance to ‘Be the Best they can Be', and supporting their health and wellbeing is an important part of this process.

"In fact, this approach is also reflected in the wide range of services we deliver as we strive to build stronger communities."

Caption:

SARH Chief Executive Karen Armitage receives the Gold Award from Mike Calverley, Locality Public Health Partnerships and Commissioning, West Staffordshire, watched by Jo Hough, Head of Organisational Development at SARH, and Leo Capernaros, Health Development Advisor at Staffordshire County Council.

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Editor's Notes

About Stafford and Rural Homes:

Stafford and Rural Homes is a Times Top 100 'Not for Profit' organisation and registered charity formed in 2006. We own and manage over 6,000 homes across Stafford and the surrounding area as well as delivering a number of local Independent Living schemes. Operating as a business, profits are used to fund our social housing and community schemes.  We also work in partnership with local authorities, health trusts, statutory bodies and a range of voluntary organisations to create safe, sustainable communities.  

Media contact:

Martin Farrow

CHANGEWORKS Communications
t:  + 44 (0) 1785 247588

m: +44 (0)7771 970025

e: mfarrow@changeworkscom.co.uk

Stafford and Rural Homes contact:

Mara Hargreaves
Marketing Manager

t:01785 216793 (Direct) 

m:07800 619 863 (Mobile)  

e: mara.hargreaves@sarh.co.uk