Picture this: it's 1919, the aftermath of the First World War, and railway workers are returning home, seeking shelter and solace. Born out of the noble Homes for Heroes campaign, the North Eastern Railway Cottage Homes and Benefit Fund sprang to life with an initial donation of £10,000 and the enthusiastic weekly contributions from 7,000 dedicated railway workers. But that's not all – the North Eastern Railway matched members' contributions and provided invaluable free services like accountancy, architecture, and surveying. The result? The first homes for railway heroes emerged in 1921, dotting the landscape of South Gosforth, York and Darlington.
Fast forward through the years, and Railway Housing Association has evolved into an organisation that’s rightly proud of its history. Registered with the Charity Commission in 1962 and as a housing association in 1976, we now proudly own and manage 1,620 homes across 20 local authority areas. Our footprint echoes the historic routes of the North Eastern Railway, stretching from Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, County Durham, Darlington, York, Hull, East Riding, Doncaster, Leeds to Hereford, touching the lives of countless individuals and families along the way. While it's true that today's residents don't need to be railway workers, our heritage remains a vital part of our identity. We take immense pride in our history and the profound impact of providing high quality, affordable housing to all who call our properties home.
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