A Pendleton man is celebrating today, after his achievements saw him shortlisted for a major national award.
Owen Power, of Pendleton, Salford has been shortlisted for the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) Award for Tenant of the Year.
Having been a Pendleton Together resident for over 20 years, Owen has spent much of that time campaigning around issues including LGBT+ Rights, HIV Awareness and disability action.
Originally from Dublin, Owen lived in London before settling in Salford while studying for a Masters of Philosophy in Manchester. Proudly queer, Deaf and Jewish, he has been at the forefront of local campaigns to increase HIV testing and report hate crime and he is currently working with the Jewish Deaf Association and the Board of Deputies of British Jews promoting D/deaf awareness as well as serving as LGBT+ officer for his local Labour party.
More recently, Owen has worked alongside his housing association Pendleton Together. They manage 1,200 homes in Salford, and he has helped them to develop their diversity action plan.
This week, The National Centre for Diversity announced they had achieved Investor in Diversity Status.
This nomination came soon after his work with Pendleton Together to embed FREDIE values (Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity Inclusion & Engagement) into their corporate and customer culture. Pendleton Together is part of the Together Housing Group, which is one of the largest social landlords in the North of England. They own and manage 37,000 properties predominantly in Lancashire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
Owen Power said he was gobsmacked to be shortlisted, but saw the nomination as a way to encourage others: “I’m particularly delighted to be nominated for a TPAS Award, because tenant involvement is what is crucial in driving the equality and diversity agenda forward. Salford has been a great home for me and it must provide a safe space for people who have always lived here or have arrived from many different backgrounds and for many different reasons. We need to resist some of the current rhetoric and be welcoming, by all working together. I’ve been looking at how we do that as tenant and landlord and now I’m hoping more tenants will come forward so we can work together as tenants too.”
Gareth Wilkinson, Customer Involvement Manager at Pendleton Together, praised Owen’s work: “I’m so proud that Owen is a Pendleton resident. He is one of those people who can see where things need to change but works with you, rather than against you, to achieve it”.
The final award winners are to be announced in October.
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