Earlier this month, staff from The Regenda Group attended the Citizens UK General Election Assembly in Westminster, London.
What is Citizens UK?
We are proud to be part of Citizens UK, a people-powered alliance of diverse local communities working together for the common good. Citizens UK uses the power of community organising to affect change – one of their most high-profile campaigns won £1.8 billion of wages for low-paid workers thanks to their Real Living Wage campaign.
Staff from Regenda Homes, Petrus and our Group central services travelled to London as part of Liverpool Citizens and Greater Manchester Citizens to join the assembly alongside thousands of community leaders from Citizens UK’s 18 local alliances across England and Wales.
The event:
The non-partisan event was an opportunity to celebrate collective power, share stories and hear responses from electoral candidates on the issues that matter the most to our communities.
Representatives from the three leading parties attended the assembly: Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party; Sara Gezdari, Conservative Candidate for Richmond Park; and Richard Newby, Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.
Electoral candidates were challenged on how, if elected, they would work with Citizens UK to bring about change, emphasising the need for community-led solutions to the issues that are impacting people’s lives.
Our Citizens UK members spoke about the issues they face in relation to equality, housing support, and earning a fair wage. Community leaders put questions to the candidates to understand their offer for communities.
The founding assembly was a powerful event – it connected debates around public policy and brought the Citizens UK Manifesto to life through the lived experiences of our members.
With over 2000 individuals in attendance, there was a real buzz to the event. It was incredible to see the level of representation present, with people from across the country united by their interest and dedication to bringing about change on the things that matter to them.
Our reflections:
Mia Foster, Marketing and Communications Coordinator at The Regenda Group, said: “It was amazing to be at the event with thousands of people from across the country. The diversity of the groups coming together to push for change was incredible and I’m proud to attend the event alongside our Regenda communities. It was a privilege to be amongst individuals with such a passion and commitment in striving for a better future.”
Molly Robson, Empty Homes & Adaptations Contract Manager at Regenda Homes, said: “It was amazing to see and meet all of the different chapters from across the UK. Seeing the manifesto being presented to the politicians and receiving commitments back was really powerful, especially knowing that those policies came from the people in that room through listening campaigns. It really showed what a difference people and communities can make when they join together.”
Jo Ann Jenkins, Environmental Contract Manager at Regenda Homes, said: “Being involved in Citizens UK has been an amazing experience so far, going to Westminster to deliver the Citizens UK manifesto being the highlight. The sense of being part of something much bigger than yourself, to affect real change within our communities was quite a humbling and an empowering experience. I can’t wait to see how this develops.”
Petrus has been a founding member of Greater Manchester Citizens since 2016, working with 25 institutions to ensure that the voices of our staff and service users are heard.
The Regenda Group is a founding member of Liverpool Citizens and part of the Sponsoring Committee alongside 18 civic organisations from across the city.
Find out more about Citizens UK: Home – Citizens UK
