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Home > About us > Cirencester Housing transfer > 'Farewell Cirencester Housing' poem

Farewell Cirencester Housing 

In Cirencester, just after the war
A shortage of housing was hard to ignore
So a few local people, of some notoriety
Founded the Cirencester Housing Society.

To acquire land and find funding was quite difficult
But 14 months later, the first houses were built
Then came the flats and more land was acquired
Despite all the progress, more homes were required.

Then the bad landlord Rachman scandalised the nation
And government created The Housing Corporation.

Housing standards were rising with rules to obey
The rules change and increase to this very day

More sites came forward, new homes were created
The takeover of Corinium Housing debated.

After many years with us, Lynn became CEO
She responded to changes and helped us to grow
Village houses were added to our portfolio

Her retirement brought Maureen with a great business brain
We expanded, reorganised, but then what a shame
Along came Covid, things stopped. It was sad
The enforced isolation nearly drove us all mad.

But we came through it and the building restarted
We had a strong will and did not get downhearted.

But now times are changing with new rules that are tough
And the post-Grenfell future is looking too rough

The extra requirements will just be too costly
So the best way forward is a merger with Cottsway 

But please all remember, that although our name’s gone
The important thing is, that our legacy lives on.

74 years, 3 weeks and 2 days of Cirencester Housing

Poem written by Sandra Price, former Board Chair of Cirencester Housing -  December 2023

 

 

 

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