20% of the workforce building one of London's most significant regeneration projects has been recruited locally from the borough of Hackney.
Berkeley Homes has revealed that 20% of its workforce at Woodberry Park, the first phase of London's most significant regeneration projects Woodberry Down, has been recruited from the local borough of Hackney. Between Berkeley Homes, the company's joint venture partners and contractors, over 90 people from the area are currently working on the project, giving local residents the opportunity to be part of the significant changes taking place where they live.
Local community involvement is an integral part of Berkeley Homes' vision for Woodberry Park and since construction started on the regeneration scheme, three job fairs have been hosted by Berkeley Homes in conjunction with Manor House Development Trust, a charitable social enterprise working within Woodberry Down and north east Hackney, to encourage local residents to fully participate in the area's regeneration. At the most recent job fair, 40% of attendees were offered employment or an apprenticeship, five of whom were residents of Woodberry Down.
One local resident working as an apprentice at Woodberry Park is Suleman Mirza, a 19 year old from Hackney. Suleman completed the Street Elite programme, a Berkeley Foundation initiative which engages young persons often living on the edge of gangs and criminality, through sport and work placements within their local communities. Suleman is now working for Berkeley Homes full time and his duties include managing safety audits with sub-contractors and completing onsite building checks. On Fridays, Suleman attends South Bank University where he is completing a Higher National Certificate (HNC) course in construction, which provides a better understanding of the regulatory, technological, social, legal and economic context of construction management.
Suleman Mirza, comments: "I am incredibly proud to be working for Berkeley Homes at Woodberry Park. The Street Elite programme exceeded all my expectations and gave me the direction to achieve my lifetime goals. Berkeley has played a key role in my own personal development and I feel a great sense of pride when I wear my Berkeley jacket and hard hat. Berkeley's investment in the local community and especially my age group has made me feel a lot more confident about where I live and the future of the area."
Piers Clanford, managing director at Berkeley Homes (North East London) Ltd comments: "Woodberry Park is bringing significant change to the area and we are delighted to see a growing number of local residents working on the project. Through the support of the Berkeley Foundation, we can continue investing and supporting young people and their communities."
Woodberry Down, N4 is a 64 acre site which will provide approximately 5,000 new homes and will become one of the capital's most sustainable communities. The first phase, Woodberry Park already has completed over 850 new homes and construction is underway on the next phase which consists of one, two and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses. Residents across the whole development will benefit from a range of facilities including a Sainsbury's Local, dry cleaners, onsite sales and lettings agent and the Woodberry Down Community Primary School.
For more information about the Berkeley Foundation please visit: http://www.berkeleygroup.co.uk/about-berkeley/the-berkeley-foundation
For more information about Woodberry Park please contact the marketing suite on +44 (0)208 985 9918 or visit http://www.woodberrypark.co.uk/