Keswick Community Housing Trust Honoured with Top Voluntary Award

A housing trust dedicated to addressing challenges in an area marked by a high concentration of holiday rental properties has received the nation’s most esteemed voluntary accolade. Keswick Community Housing Trust (KCHT) has been granted the King’s Award for Voluntary Service in recognition of its contributions within the Lake District town. The trust has successfully provided 40 affordable residences in a town where a “significant” number of properties are utilized as holiday lets, and where house prices are elevated despite low wages. Bill Bewley, chairman of KCHT, commented that the award serves as a “fantastic recognition” of the volunteers’ efforts to enable individuals with family connections and local employment to “live here, raise families and contribute to keeping Keswick a vibrant community”. This honour represents the highest award a local voluntary group can attain in the UK, holding an equivalent status to an MBE appointment. The presentation of the award will be carried out by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cumbria, Alexander Scott. Furthermore, two volunteers from the trust are slated to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace next year.