2025 has been an extraordinary year for Clarion as we marked a significant milestone in our story - our 125th anniversary.
This gave us a unique opportunity to celebrate our rich history - which began in May 1900 when our founder, entrepreneur William Sutton, left much of his fortune to build housing for families who needed them the most - but more importantly, celebrate our residents and look ahead at how we can keep improving our services and investing in your home and community.
Let’s take a tour through the past 12 months and dive into some of the highlights that have made 2025 truly momentous.
Recognising the residents who have gone the extra mile
Central to our celebrations has been the Resident Hero Awards, an inspiring tribute and chance to say thank you to those who go above and beyond to make their neighbourhood a better place, who bring people together and truly make a difference.
When nominations opened, we were delighted by the response, with scores of incredible entries setting our judging panel an unenviable challenge. However, five outstanding winners emerged, each with inspiring stories of achievement and a tireless commitment driven by a passion for their community - from creating vibrant gardens to reducing isolation and supporting those in need.
Celebrating our Resident Heroes - the highlights
We know there are hundreds more inspiring people in our communities who make a positive impact every day and who we want to celebrate. Look out for details of our next Resident Hero Awards coming in the new year.
Creating opportunities, enhancing skills
At Clarion, we are proud to carve out real pathways into work and rewarding careers for our residents.
For our 125th anniversary, we launched a pop-up film school with Iconic Steps in three locations across the country, offering budding filmmakers hands-on training in camera work, sound, and editing. Watch Daniel’s inspiring story to see how he was able to turn his dream into a career behind the camera.
We are also delighted to have awarded scholarships to six outstanding students from lower income backgrounds, supporting the next generation of leaders in housing. Whilst studying for degrees in architecture and sustainability, scholars will benefit from financial support, mentoring, work experience, and career advice.
Furthermore, this year we have also had a meaningful impact by helping to topple barriers that may be stopping people from getting online. We offered eligible residents and partners a free, fully refurbished and quality checked ex-Clarion laptop. The results spoke for themselves, with around 200 enquiries received and 133 laptops already delivered to homes that need them the most.
Although this offer is closed now, please check out our Digital Device Scheme.
Grants helping community projects make a lasting difference
Local organisations are the lifeblood of our communities, and to mark our special year, we awarded nearly £100,000 in grants to 21 projects across the country. The Making a Difference Fund aims to bring bold, fresh ideas to life, helping to create vibrant, connected communities and leave a lasting, positive legacy for generations to come. Explore the full list of recipients and the initiatives that will benefit.
Stories from the heart of our communities
Over the course of the year, we uncovered many inspiring stories from the people at the heart of everything we do - our residents. You can read just some of them on our dedicated 125 website, including Sheila, a spirited 92-year-old, who has lived her whole life on Clarion’s iconic Sutton Estate. Her cherished memories paint an evocative picture of a community united by strong bonds set against a backdrop of a world going through incredible changes.
Sheila's story
Sheila White, a spirited 92-year-old Clarion resident, shares her heart-warming journey spanning nearly a century.
In this video, Sheila vividly describes life in Sutton buildings, from the modern amenities like indoor plumbing and gas lighting to the strong communal spirit where neighbours supported one another.
Watch Sheila’s touching video to experience her journey and be inspired to share your own story—because every home holds a story worth telling.
We also brought our celebrations to the airwaves by way of a community-flavoured podcast.
Featuring candid, heartwarming conversations on a range of topics with residents, community leaders and Clarion staff, the series offered a window into what makes Clarion what it is today. You can catch up with every episode on Spotify, YouTube and Apple Podcasts.
Shaping the future of social housing
To wrap up the year, we published a groundbreaking new report looking at how social housing can better support residents in the future, identifying the challenges many people are facing today, including money worries, poor mental health, and loneliness.
Presented by TV historian David Olusoga at the Royal Institution in London, the Five New Giants of Opportunity report sets out five priorities for a better future: connection, resilience, trust, health, and sufficiency, with a call for government, partners, and communities to work together to build fairer, healthier, and more supportive communities.
Thank you for being part of our journey
As this year comes to a close, we want to thank all our residents for helping us make this year so special - whether you attended one of our local events or submitted an entry for the Resident Hero Awards, shared your feedback on our services, or helped to shape them. Your insight makes a significant difference to the way we run things and in the last year we topped 1,804 residents wanting to get involved. Every voice matters.
Don’t forget that over the festive period, special opening times will be in place for our Contact Centre, although we are still fully contactable in an emergency.
From all of us at Clarion, may we wish you the best for the festive season and the year ahead.