Streets on an affordable housing scheme in Nottingham have been named after two former civic leaders from the Windrush generation. The two streets are on the £4.7 million Tuntum Housing Association scheme recently completed off Woodborough Road, in the north of the city.
The new Des Wilson Mews is named after the first black Lord Mayor of Nottingham, while Tony Robinson Close has been named after the city’s first black Sheriff. The families of both men took part in a formal opening ceremony alongside Chartered Institute of Housing president Lara Oyedele, former Nottingham City Council leader Jon Collins and Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome.
The new scheme includes 17 houses and 11 flats for individuals and families on low incomes to rent at affordable rates.
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Tuntum is a BME (black and minority ethnic)-led housing association based in Nottingham which manages more than 1,600 homes for more than 3,000 people. It also provides accommodation and specialist housing services for older people, refugees, young mothers, people suffering with mental health difficulties and homeless young people.
On top of that it delivers non-housing initiatives including the Nottingham Carnival, Refugee Futures, Headwize and staff-led ‘Social Value’ days.
Tuntum chief executive Richard Renwick MBE said: “These 28 new social homes – which are already fully tenanted – will make a real difference to many lives.
“We are immensely grateful to Homes England, which provided a £1.1 million grant subsidy, and our lead delivery partners, Nottingham Community Housing Association, for their magnificent support which enabled the development to progress.
“Tuntum is also indebted to the families of Des Wilson and Tony Robinson for giving permission for the streets to be named after these two great men, and for taking part in the opening ceremony itself.
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“Their presence made the occasion even more special.”
Tuntum chair Junior Hemans said: “This is a proud and historic moment for us.
“Tuntum’s founders were from the Windrush generation and, as the only independent BME-led housing association in the East Midlands, we will always remain true to their ideals.
“They were community activists and professionals from Nottingham’s black community, motivated by the desire to correct inequality in housing provision, to demonstrate black community self-help, to create economic opportunities and to help build social capital.
“The 17 houses and 11 flats that now stand on streets named in honour of two trailblazers from the Windrush generation are wonderfully appropriate tributes to their collective legacies.”
CHI president Lara Oyedele said: “I am ever so proud of Tuntum’s achievement in building these properties and, more importantly, naming the streets after two of Nottingham’s outstanding Windrush pioneers.
“This is a living example of the important role that BME housing associations play in supporting local communities and reminding the housing sector of what the ‘social’ in social housing stands for.”