Connaught and Merlin complete 1000th kitchen

The partnership between Connaught and Merlin Housing Society has celebrated the installation of their 1,000th new kitchen.

To mark the event, staff from Connaught and Merlin surprised Downend resident Mrs Ina Tadd with a spring bouquet of flowers and a visit from those who have helped to deliver the improvements to her home.

Mrs Tadd said: "I’m absolutely delighted with my new kitchen. The team worked really hard and always left my home clean and tidy at the end of each day while Jill McCaskie, the Liaison Officer, has been excellent and visited me regularly. I had the opportunity to choose the units and colour scheme for both the kitchen and bathroom and the work was completed within just ten days."

The kitchen refurbishment is part of Merlin’s £70million major improvement works to upgrade its 8,000 former council homes transferred from South Gloucestershire Council, which it has been delivering in partnership with Connaught since 2007. The programme of works also includes bathroom refurbishments, electrical rewires, central heating upgrades and window replacements.

Merlin’s head of property services Mark Haines said: “Our partnership with Connaught is going from strength to strength and we are delighted to have reached this milestone in the project. It’s all about improving things for our residents and keeping the promises that we made to them at the time of the transfer.”

Dave Reynolds, partnerships director for Connaught, added: “We are thrilled to have completed our 1000th kitchen with Merlin Housing Society. It has been a pleasure to help improve Mrs Tadd’s kitchen and we wanted to thank her for her hospitality with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Happy residents are a great incentive for us to keep up the good work!”