Some wonderful photos from the annual Members Christmas Party, with plenty of dancing and singing. We thank Isaac and his team for providing all the entertainment and every year there is something new! Make a date for 2025.
Some more wonderful photos of enjoyment and camaraderie from our Christmas party. More members should make an effort to attend, they will be pleased if they do!
Some of our new members: Welcome to Amira, Shakira and Khalid on their first visit to the annual party.
Duncan with Yemi, a splendid contractor who has been with Arneway for many years and provides excellent service. Although Duncan sometimes gives him a hard time, his work is greatly appreciated by all our members.(photo below left)
Duncan with Rohan, who has been a long standing member. Judith reports that his property is one of the best apartment in Arneway and Rohan takes special pleasure in maintaining the property to a high standard. It went on sale over 150 years ago.( photo above right)
Duncan with Alexandra and Judith (our Maintenance Manager). Alexandra has been a previous Board Member of Arneway. She says she would not leave Arneway, she has a wonderful flat and feels very privileged to be a Member of Arneway.
Duncan with Yemane (previous Chair) speaking to Members and explaining that Duncan will be retiring from Arneway in 2025 after serving members for 27 years continuous service.
Duncan with a very long standing member, Jackie, who gave a short background on how he met Duncan and how he persuaded her to take up a role as Board Member and that she was pleased to be able to help the Co-op as a Board member and hopes that many more members would consider offering to be a Board Member.
Duncan with Cherry-Ann Arneway’s Vice Chair; Duncan was thanking everyone for attending and making the event so special as this will be the last time that he will be attending as Director; he intends to retire by the end of June 2025.
Duncan was very surprised to receive a wonderful gift of a replica of the Cutty Sark; a very special British clipper ship. Built in Dumbarton, Scotland in 1869, it sailed all over the world to Australia and India in those early days when UK companies traded across the seas.
Duncan also added a few words of his own and spoke directly to the Members and reminded them that they are responsible for the Co-op if they have not already realised that already?
“It is their actions and how they behave that directly effects the Co-op. This past year some members have broken their Tenancy Agreements and caused considerable additional costs to the Co-op that all our members have to bear.
Arneway belongs to the Members and if Members misbehave and fail to pay their rent; fail to live quietly and cause a nuisance; break their tenancy conditions; all these issues result in major costs not just for the Members who have caused these problems, but on all our Members.
The current economic situation is already causing problems and the Co-op can do without additional and unnecessary costs such as expensive Court and Solicitors fees, just because some members ignore their responsibilities and results in all members having to pay more.
Members should support the Board of Management, who have a difficult job to meet their responsibilities of ensuring fair and equitable treatment to all members. I appeal to all Members to work with the Board and support their decisions.
All our Board Members have agreed to attend a Housing Studies Course hosted by the Chartered Institute of Housing to ensure they keep up with all current legislation, prac- tice and procedures. I applaud their efforts because through their commitment every Member can be sure that they have a Board of Management that strives to be the best, and a Board committed to providing the best possible service to all Members. Please support your Board and work with them so that, five years from now we are stornger than ever and I can be invited back to celebrate 50 years of Arneway Housing in the London Borough of Brent.” DUNCAN