Housing group launches £20,000 social impact prize

Clarion Housing Group has launched the inaugural William Sutton Prize, with a prize fund of up to £20,000 on offer for individuals or organisations presenting a new concept, service or idea that can make a positive social impact on a community.

A second prize for excellence in social housing design and placemaking will also be awarded to an individual or organisation that has developed a groundbreaking design concept for the benefit of social housing residents, or a mixed tenure community.

The two prizes are named after 19th-century entrepreneur and philanthropist William Sutton.

There is a prize fund of up to £20,000 on offer for both categories, with the funding provided by Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Clarion Housing Group. The winning entries will be determined by a five-person panel which includes:

• Greg Reed, Clarion Housing Group board member and CEO of HomeServe Group
• Clare Miller, group director of governance and compliance, Clarion Housing Group
• Peter Fortune, Clarion Housing Group board and deputy leader of the London Borough of Bromley
• Biljana Savic, director of The Academy of Urbanism
• Peter Holbrook CBE, CEO of Social Enterprise UK

Clare Miller, Director of Group Director of Governance and Compliance said: ‘Clarion Housing is the largest housing association in the country, but we wouldn’t be here at all without William’s Sutton’s entrepreneurial spirit and his passion for social housing. We are launching the William Sutton Prize to champion the power of innovation for social good and looking forward to seeing a wide range of ideas, from inspiring community leaders to visionary architects.’

Applications for both prizes open on Tuesday 29th May and will close on Tuesday 31st July, with the winners announced at an awards event later in 2018.

Learn more here