Catherine West MP, London Assembly Member and Councillors plant tree to mark 90th Anniversary of Hornsey Housing Trust
Catherine West MP (Hornsey & Wood Green), Joanne McCartney AM (Enfield and Haringey) and Hornsey Ward Councillors and Haringey Council Cabinet Members Adam Jogee and Dana Carlin today planted a tree to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of Hornsey Housing Trust.
They were joined by Trust tenants Eileen Kirkham and Harifat Dada, along with, from Hornsey Housing Trust, Deputy Chair Ian Roberts, Chief Executive Euan Barr and Housing Support Co-ordinator Barbara Moore.
The tree, a katsura, was planted in Priory Park in Hornsey N8, accompanied by a commemorative plaque.
Hornsey Housing Trust (the Trust) was founded in 1933 by Margaret Hill CBE with the aim of providing safe and comfortable accommodation for elderly and vulnerable people in the local area. Today, the Trust owns and manages almost 400 homes across Haringey, but its close links to Hornsey remain, with most of its properties located in the N8 area.
The Trust’s sheltered housing includes the distinctive Margaret Hill House on Middle Lane in Crouch End and Abyssinia Court in Hornsey as well as having several converted early 20th century street properties. All of its tenancies are offered at social rent, to a wide variety of people in terms of age, vulnerability, and cultural and ethnic background.
The Trust is planning further celebrations later in the year. It will also be publishing a written history of its origin and development through the years, written by former Chair Rosie Boughton, including how it managed before and during WW2 all the way up to the recent Covid pandemic. This will follow up the book the Trust published in 2017, which documented the life stories of some of the tenants of Margaret Hill House.
Catherine West, MP for Hornsey & Wood Green, said:
‘I’m delighted to be planting a tree in celebration of Hornsey Housing Trust’s 90th birthday and their long history of providing local residents with somewhere safe and affordable to live. The need for social housing has never been so stark and Hornsey Housing Trust should be proud of their commitment to maintaining good-quality, genuinely affordable homes to people who need them most.’
Councillor Carlin, Member for Hornsey and Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Private Renters and Planning, said:
“Hornsey Housing Trust is a valued partner, providing homes to some of our most vulnerable residents. The tree we have planted today is a symbol of that ongoing relationship, which will hopefully thrive for the next 90 years.”
Councillor Jogee, Member for Hornsey and Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Jobs and Community Cohesion said:
“I was delighted to join Catherine West MP and Cllr Carlin in marking the 90thanniversary of the founding of Hornsey Housing Trust with the planting of this tree.
Social housing is a lifeline to so many people across the country and HHT has a strong record of delivering affordable, safe and secure housing. Long may they continue!”
Ian Roberts, Hornsey Housing Trust Deputy Chair, said:
“The longevity of Hornsey Housing Trust is testament to the enduring benefits of being a small, community-based provider of social housing. We are very proud of our heritage, the people we have helped through the decades and we are grateful to all those who have contributed over the years maintaining our existence. Looking ahead we will work alongside our tenants to address the challenges of 21st century – building safety, net zero, affordability, development of new homes and meeting the needs of an ageing population.”
ENDS
Tree Planting – present in photo (L-R):
- Euan Barr, Chief Executive, Hornsey Housing Trust
- Harifat Dada, Hornsey Housing Trust tenant
- Ian Roberts, Deputy Chair, Hornsey Housing Trust
- Eileen Kirkham, Hornsey Housing Trust tenant
- Barbara Moore, Housing Support Co-ordinator, Hornsey Housing Trust
- Cllr Dana Carlin (Hornsey), Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Private Renters and Planning, Haringey Council
- Catherine West MP, Hornsey & Wood Green
- Cllr Adam Jogee (Hornsey), Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Jobs and Community Cohesion, Haringey Council
- Joanne McCartney AM (Enfield & Haringey)