The Warrington Housing Association (WHA) have appointed their first ‘Director of social value’ in a move to commit fully to “community well-being”.

Gerry Kiddle, 55, has been appointed to the role.

The Stockton Heath resident was formerly the director of WHA’s over 50’s centre and property maintenance agency.

Gerry said of the appointment: “The board have invested in social value, and you see up close every day the difference we are making to people.

As a housing association, we want to provide the best homes and be as affordable as we can, but you can’t house everybody, so it is vital we try to help people in other ways too.”

The WHA are run by 50 volunteers, who run 50 activities a week, with 600 people taking part regularly each month.

Gerry has been with the WHA 18 years, saying that she “was keen to have a job that was people-focused and making a difference.

It has been really nice to work in the town I actually live in because you feel so connected, making a difference to the streets you drive down every day.”