Tenants and staff at a ground-breaking Bradford housing association were today celebrating winning a national award for excellence.

Brunel Housing is the first housing association in the country to win the prestigious Charter Mark for its community development work.

The association, which has 2,500 properties from Keighley to Sowerby Bridge, is at the forefront of ways to get its tenants involved and has introduced many pioneering activities that have become models for other housing associations.

Brunel's tenants are able to join an active tenants' forum committee and are responsible for the content of the in-house glossy magazine. They are also encouraged to form smaller-scale community groups on individual estates and Brunel provides grants to get such voluntary groups off the ground.

Another scheme involves tenants in contract monitoring. Volunteers will keep an eye on the performance of grounds maintenance and cleaning staff to make sure they are doing a proper job on their estate.

Staff from Brunel have also supported a major Millennium scheme to create a village green near some of its properties in Great Horton and have backed an Asian women's group at another complex in Manningham.

The award was due to be handed over today at a ceremony at the QEII Conference Centre in London attended by cabinet minister Mo Mowlem.

"Winning this award is a real morale booster for all of us," said Linda Wood-Mitchell, community development officer for Brunel.

"To have our community development strategies truly recognised is a wonderful honour."

She added: "The tenants are Brunel's best asset. They best know how services should be delivered. And it's to our advantage, because at the end of the day if they are happy, it makes Brunel workers' lives easier."

Carolyn Ballard, the Charter Mark assessor, said: "Brunel's commitment is evident in the success of community development initiatives, and high user satisfaction."

Other Charter Mark winners in the district were: Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust (physiotherapy department); Bradford Royal Infirmary Hysteroscopy Service; Benton Park School at Rawdon, and North Yorkshire Health Care (Primary Services).

Two other organisations were commended and encouraged to apply again for the full award next year - Beckfoot Grammar School at Bingley, and Bradford Community Health NHS Trust (community dental service.)

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