Aaron Thompson, chairman of Killynure Community Association in Carryduff has been a Housing Executive tenant for the last 15 years.
He was appointed chairman in 2010 when the group was first established and is also the chairman of the Housing Community Network in Lisburn and Castlereagh.
Praising the support he has received from the Housing Executive over the years, Aaron says the community group has also reaped the benefits.
He added; “I have noticed the Housing Executive has stepped up to the mark and evolved and is assisting community groups in the area and helping them along with different projects.
“Any projects we have had with reimaging and regeneration works, they’re fully supportive and our first project was the regeneration of a green area.
“We got the lease of our building from the Health Trust and we got funding for the decoration and carpets of the building through the Housing Executive.”
During Covid-19 and lockdown, the community group was busy delivering hundreds of food parcels to Housing Executive tenants.
Through funding and advice, the Housing Executive also helped during the crisis to promote health and safety to ensure the group was doing their bit to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Aaron continued: “To me the Housing Executive is the best and only true social housing provider that provides good social housing for people who need it.
“If you get your first home from the Housing Executive it can be a daunting experience to furnish it and we can assist people with that through the group.”
Aaron says the Housing Executive has also helped to promote community safety in the area – by moving away from a traditional bonfire during the Twelfth season.
“The Housing Executive has provided us with beacons now instead and it is in the centre of Killynure Green and there’s a purpose built area for it.
“We have a festival during the day now, prior to the beacon being here there was some anti-social behaviour in the area and it’s all improved for the better, thanks to the Housing Executive,” he added.
Watch our video with Aaron.
