Board members retire

PETER EDE of Chyenhal, vice-chair for several years, commented: “I am really pleased to have been part of this organisation and to have seen such a great leap forward.Housing maintenance, repair and improvements have been my principal interests and we have witnessed a marked progress on our neighbourhoods with our recent extensive Decent Home programme.”

Mr Ede is a retired senior lecturer in construction, so his experience has proved most valuable. He also chaired PHA’s environmental working party from its inception.

Peter also has the demanding role of manager of the National Coastwatch Institution base at Gwennap Head.

CAROL BOSWORTH, a tenant representative on the PHA Board since 1995, has made a great impact in many aspects of residents lives since as well as a founder-member of the Treneere residents community association, she also takes a leading role at the Lescudjack Centre, Age Concern at Penzance and with Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change.

The successful local bid for ‘Sure Start’ funding, backed by PHA, brought many improved facilities for Treneere residents. “I am still as interested as ever in the community work,” she said.As a foster-mum, mother of five and grandmother, children have always been at her heart. She now lives at Trewellard and will continue to be a Cornwall tenant representative on the new Devon and Cornwall Housing group board.

NORMAN EMBERSON of Hayle, has been a Penwith District Council and then PHA tenant since 1982 and is another PHA Board founder member.He has taken a special interest in youth apprenticeships and opportunities for work and has served as chair of Youth Build (UK) and Youth Build Forum (UK) and as chair and vice-chair of the Cornwall branch of the Chartered Institute of Housing."I am proud to have been a founder member of PHA and have watched it go from strength to strength. As Chair of Housing for 7 years I was able to encourage tenant participation which is as strong as it ever was. Long may it continue to remain so."

Mr. Emberson is now a retired honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Housing and President of Hayle Rotary Club and is involved in several community fund raising activities both locally and internationally.

CAROLINE WHITE, a former Mayor of Penzance and active in many aspects of voluntary service in the town, was also a Penwith District Councillor. She worked over many years for the homeless and unemployed at YMCA Cornwall and in the Breadline drop-in centre at Penzance.For 12 years she served on the PHA Board as a council representative and later as a community representative. “I enjoyed all aspect of the work especially since it allowed me to assist the residents and the homeless with their problems. It worked well and I am pleased the board is continuing to have a good relationship with Cornwall Council,” she remarked.

MIKE SMITH, a tenant at Trewellard, steps down from the board after seven years. “As a tenant, I have been able to see both sides of housing problems. We hope the new board will be as effective as the old one. It has been a mammoth task to bring the three groups together in Cornwall and Devon in recent times.”

Mr Smith is also a trustee of GOFA, which supplies good furniture to the needy, and a member of the National Coastwatch Institution at Gwennap Head as well as a doughty champion of the senior citizens with Age Concern.