News

Golding Homes has been selected as a finalist in the prestigious UK Housing Awards 2018 (UKHA).  The organisation has been shortlisted in the Outstanding Approach to Equality and Diversity category for Disability Eddie, an animated film about normalising disability for preschool children.

The awards recognise excellence across the housing sector, and are overseen by industry experts the Chartered Institute of Housing and Inside Housing magazine.

The project ‘Disability Eddie’, which is backed by Baroness Grey-Thompson, is an interactive, animation DVD and educational resource aimed at helping preschool children  understand and normalise disability with the character Tammi the tortoise (voiced by Baroness Grey-Thompson) who meets Eddie and his friends.  The DVD is supported by an online educational portal with touch screen games and activities that preschools can access to support their early learning goals.

Disability Eddie has been funded by Golding Vision, the community arm of Golding Homes, in partnership with Wellbeing People and the RBLI and was rolled out free to more then 60 Maidstone preschools.

Gary Clark, Golding Homes’ Chief Executive said:  “We are delighted to be a finalist in this prestigious housing awards and it is a fantastic achievement for all those who have been involved in this project.  Disability Eddie is a great way of getting positive messages across to young minds that disability shouldn’t limit your ambitions to succeed in life and to prompt discussion around the differences within our society at a young age. It’s also a great example of what can be achieved through the health, housing and education sectors working together to engage children in their health and wellbeing in a fun and interactive way.

The winners of the UK Housing Awards will be announced at an awards ceremony in May in London.