The Belgrave Neighbourhood Co-operative Housing Association (BNCHA) celebrates its 50th anniversary, alongside its AGM and Good Neighbour Awards on Friday 25 September at the Platinum Suite, Leicester
The co-op has been a vital part of the city for half a century, and the event for invited guests will celebrate the tenant members who built and shaped it, and the neighbours, volunteers, community members and partners who have become part of its journey.
Established in 1976, BNCHA has always focused on housing, but today it also offers a food hub, health and wellbeing activities, community garden, events and partnerships.
Jaimini Bharakhada, chair and CEO of BNCHA, said: “Fifty years is an incredible milestone for BNCHA, but this celebration really belongs to the people.
“It belongs to the tenant members who built and shaped our co-operative, but also to the neighbours, volunteers, community members, partners and friends who have become part of the BNCHA journey along the way.”
The evening will recognise neighbourly kindness, community service and the achievements of young people through BNCHA’s Good Neighbour Awards, including the Manjula Sood Community Champion Award, created in memory of Cllr Manjula Sood MBE.
As part of the anniversary, BNCHA will launch Belgrave Stories, inviting local people to share photographs, newspaper cuttings and memories of their homes, streets and community, helping preserve Belgrave’s everyday stories for future generations.
“One of the things I am most proud of is that BNCHA has grown to mean more than the homes we provide,” adds Bharakhada. “We opened our doors to the wider community and, somewhere along the way, they became part of us, and we became part of them.
“#DoItWithLove is something I gave to BNCHA because, for me, it says everything about who we should be. It isn’t just a hashtag. It’s about putting people at the heart of what we do, caring about the difference we make and remembering that sometimes the smallest act of kindness can mean everything to someone.
“That is the BNCHA I believe in. A place where people feel welcome, valued and that they belong. And that is what I hope we carry with us into the next 50 years.”
