Celebrating 20 Years of Achievements at our Birthday Conference!

Last Friday, 230 colleagues gathered together all under one roof, to celebrate two decades of incredible achievements at Valleys to Coast. Together, we've made significant strides that have left a lasting impact:

🏡 We've become a leading housing association in Wales, addressing homelessness through careful allocation and development.

💰 We rank among the top RSLs in Wales for the lowest rent arrears, without resorting to legal action.

👥 We've grown our workforce, providing valuable local job opportunities.

🤝 We've strengthened our partnerships with stakeholders.

🔧 And now we're transforming our approach to repairs and maintenance through our wholly-owned subsidiary, called Llanw.

We kicked off the day by introducing our EDI approach by Emma Howells , and we were joined by the inspiring Colin Jackson . His powerful storytelling and message of dreaming big resonated deeply—reminding us that with determination, we can achieve anything.

We revisited our organisational behaviours and celebrated teams and colleagues who use these behaviours in their daily work. Thank you, Liam Maguire and Gail Walker Chartered MCIPD for leading this session.

Post-lunch, we unveiled our wholly-owned subsidiary, "Llanw," meaning 'Tide' in Welsh. Just like the tides, Llanw embodies reliability, dependability, refreshment, consistency, and unwavering commitment. It symbolises our promise to adapt and respond to the ever-changing needs of our customers, just as we adapt to the ebb and flow of the tides.

The name also pays homage to the stunning natural beauty of Bridgend, connecting with our name, Valleys to Coast, as the tides represent a constant flow from the streams and rivers of our valleys to our coast. A big thanks to Bright Collie for helping us to discover the name.

Wrapping up the day, our Board Chair, Anthony Whittaker, shared his pride in leading efforts to combat homelessness in Bridgend. Peter Cahill, the first Chief Executive of Valleys to Coast, took us on a journey back in time, revealing the mantra he lived by - MAD, Making a Difference. Lastly, our Chief Executive, Joanne Oak , announced a £31.5 million investment into our homes, the most significant since the transfer.

"We’re thrilled to be marking our 20th birthday by investing in improving our homes for the people who live in them. We recognise that housing needs are changing, and we are committed to providing good quality housing for all our tenants. We’re excited to continue building on our legacy and creating positive change in Bridgend and the surrounding areas."

Throughout the day, we heard from our customers, sharing their experiences of living in our homes for the past 20 years and what these homes mean to them.

Thank you to everyone who was part of this milestone celebration. Especially our exhibitors who joined on the day Robert Price (Builders' Merchants) Ltd , Westfield Health , Coleg Penybont | Bridgend College , Ryan Harris, Halo Leisure Centre and Care and Repair.

Here's to another 20 years of making a difference and positively impacting our community! 🌟🏘️ #SafeAndHappy #ValleysToCoast #20YearsStrong