Accord and GreenSquare merge
West Bromwich-based Accord Housing Association and GreenSquare have merged to create a new housing and care organisation called GreenSquareAccord.
The partnership, which came into effect at the start of April, has created an organisation with 25,000 homes and a geographical reach from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Salisbury, Wiltshire.
GreenSquareAccord aims to improve services for existing customers, invest more in local communities, and build more affordable homes with an ambition to develop 1,000 new homes a year.
Ruth Cooke, chief executive of GreenSquareAccord, said: “This merger has successfully joined two organisations with the same values and ambitions for expanding and enhancing locally-focused services to customers.
“We now have the scale and capacity to build hundreds more new homes each year, and to increase available resource for investment in our existing homes. We will also be able to widen our overall offer to customers by increasing the breadth of our services such as care and support, building for sale, community–led housing and modern methods of construction.
“It is a merger of equals that has created a stronger and more resilient organisation that’s more ‘future-proof’ and ready to deal with future challenges.”
Kate Henderson, chief executive at National Housing Federation said: “The launch of GreenSquareAccord marks another positive chapter for these strong organisations. I am very much looking forward to working with them as they deliver more affordable homes and innovative solutions to tackling housing shortage. I wish all involved in the newly merged organisation the very best for their work together”
The new organisation has more than 100 care and support schemes and will deliver over three million hours of care every year across its schemes and within its communities.
Vic Rayner, chief executive of the National Care Forum – the leading member association for not for profit care providers – said: “We are really pleased that Accord and GreenSquare have merged to form GreenSquareAccord. By creating a larger organisation, with a wider geographical reach, we are delighted that over time more people across the country will be able to benefit from their excellent care and support services.”
Elisabeth Buggins, board chairman for GreenSquareAccord and previously chairman of Accord, added: “This merger of equals will create a strong and more resilient organisation which is better equipped to provide great services for people and to innovate as we respond to a changing world.”
