SOCIALhousing residents from across the North of England have come together todiscuss the important issues that affect their everyday lives.

More than100 tenants representing 15 housing associations from Blackburn to Bradford, Manchester to Merseyside –known collectively as the Runway Group – joined forces recently to air theirviews at a special event.

Managedby Profile Communication and hosted by residents of Weaver Vale Housing Trust,the Runway event included table discussions and open forum debate on hottopics like changes to the benefits system and fuel poverty.

Delegateswere also able to sign a petition to be sent to the government in opposition tothe Welfare Reform Bill.

Speakingat the event Margaret Morgan, Weaver Vale Housing Trust customer and boardmember, said: "As social housing tenants we are concerned that this all-in-onebenefits system would disadvantage the most vulnerable in our communities.

"Webelieve these changes will hit tenants hard financially and could also affect theirchances of remaining in their local community as family sizes change.”

TheRunway Group is made up of customers from 15 housing associations – the chiefexecutives of these social landlords are collectively known as the AirportGroup

TheAirport Group was established to share best practice and collectively itmanages more than 165,000 social homes in the 10 per cent most depriveddistricts of the city region areas within the North West and Pennine corridor.

Since2007 the group has spent £1.9billion on improvements through the Decent Homesprogramme and have helped 2,100 customers set up their own business or becomeinvolved in social enterprise schemes.

 In2009/10 the Airport Group directly delivered 229 apprenticeships and 240 FutureJob Fund posts.