24/05/2010 : Neighbourhood Warden scoops award

Brent Housing Partnership's Neighbourhood Warden, Francis Kabia, was the winner of the Housing Heroes Award in the "Inspirational Colleague of the Year" category, beating stiff competition from around the country.

The Housing Heroes Awards recognises the achievements of the unsung heroes of the social housing world. This year's ceremony was held in London last week, was hosted by adventurer and TV presenter Ben Fogle and organised by Inside Housing magazine and the Chartered Institute of Housing.

One of the many selfless acts the judges praised Francis for was his action in challenging thieves who were attempting to steal heaters (for residents whose heating was disrupted) from a contractor's van. The thieves threatened to kill Francis, but he stood his ground and they fled the scene. After giving a statement to the Police about the incident, he then delivered the heaters to residents in five blocks and visited all vulnerable tenants thereafter feeding back any concerns he had about how people were coping until the full heating was restored. This selfless act of bravery and courage won the admiration of the judging panel.

Jane Lambert, Manager of the Neighbourhood Warden Services said: "We are very proud of Francis Kabia for winning this prestigious award. He works very hard, he is dedicated, committed and always puts the residents first, even risking his life for them. I think Francis is a worthy winner and these awards are a brilliant way to recognise the heroes in our community."

The Editor of Inside Housing, Stuart Macdonald, said: "The housing sector is characterised by the commitment, passion and flair of the people who work in it. They are dedicated, innovative and creative individuals and teams. That's why we run these awards - to shine the spotlight on those 'unsung heroes' so others can learn from them. I was amazed by the number of entries we received this year - more than 300 - and the overall calibre. The standard was really high."