Merge with St Mungo's

The Boards of Peter Bedford Housing Association and St Mungo's have agreed to pursue a merger

Peter Bedford HA and St Mungo Community HA

Peter Bedford HA is a charitable housing association which owns and manages a range of housing for 260 men and women in Islington and Hackney. It runs comprehensive vocational programmes to help tenants stay active, gain skills and qualifications, and hopefully find work.

St Mungo's is also a charitable housing association which houses 1,840 people, and has an extensive educational and employment programme. St Mungo's works across London, and has recently developed outside London.

Jane Crumpton-Taylor, Peter Bedford HA's Chair, said: "The funding environment for charities like us is tightening drastically. Our main concern is to safeguard the future of our tenants and the participants in our work schemes, and so we have decided to seek a merger partner. St Mungo's not only shares our values and culture, but offers a good fit in terms of geography and service. It is of sufficient size to be able to weather current conditions, and therefore to ensure that the legacy of Peter Bedford can endure. We look forward wholeheartedly to a shared future as part of St Mungo's, where we know that our history and contribution will be recognised and valued."

Chris Brace, CEO of Peter Bedford HA, added: "We have been impressed by St Mungo's vision of how the two organisations can complement each other, and I am confident that together we will be able to offer a more secure future to our tenants and staff than they would otherwise have. I believe that this merger will enable us to better meet the goals which commissioners in Islington and Hackney rightly set for us, and we look forward to demonstrating the added value which this merger will achieve."

Paul Doe, St Mungo's Chair, said: "St Mungo's is delighted that Peter Bedford HA has decided to merge with us. There is a synergy between our organisations which will strengthen us for the future, and will ensure that tenants and commissioners receive even better services and better value over the coming months and years."

Charles Fraser, CEO of St Mungo's, added: "This is a very exciting development for us. Peter Bedford HA is an important provider of services which are based on enduring principles of community and empowerment, and absorbing these into our work will only enrich our services. This merger is an important step forward for us and for the supported housing sector in London."

Note to editors:

For further information contact Judith Higgin, St Mungo's Media Office, on , judith.higgin@mungos.org

• Peter Bedford HA is a supported housing association providing accommodation for 260 vulnerable people with a variety of needs.
• We have a range of vocational and community services including walking, art, drama, healthy eating, healthy cooking and healthy living groups, smoking cessation support, training in basic skills and life skills, catering, retail, joinery, soft furnishings, gardening and business administration, with dedicated employment support.
• We are committed to equality and diversity and each year run events to celebrate Black History Month, LGBT Pride, World Mental Health Day, Women's Day and Men's Day.
• St Mungo's provides emergency help and runs over 100 projects that house homeless people and support their recovery, and prevent rough sleeping. Every year we help thousands of people to make permanent life changes. St Mungo's works with homeless men and women on housing, health and work opportunities.

www.24dash.com/news/housing/2011-03-28-Charitable-housing-associations-to-merge-in-bid-to-cope-with-funding-cuts