Rathcoole resident pays tribute to NIHE staff

As part of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s 50th anniversary celebrations, some of the body’s tenants, colleagues and partners from across the province shared their memories of the Housing Executive.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Jan 2022, 10:11 BST
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Annie Anderson lives in Carmeen Drive, Rathcoole and was a NIHE tenant for nearly 40 years before she bought her home.

She said: “When we moved in here I was leaving my grandmother’s house and we had very little, I had to leave my stuff in my granny’s house.

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“I enjoyed being a tenant because officers did a good job at helping to keep the house the way it should have been kept.

Annie Anderson.Annie Anderson.
Annie Anderson.

“If your hedge was higher than it should have been you were told to get it cut and damaged windows were fixed.

“I never had any trouble getting anything done and any work that was carried out by the Housing Executive I could never have faulted it.”

Annie sits on the Housing Community Network for Rathcoole and has been a member since its formation. She enjoys a good relationship with her neighbours and says Carmeen Drive has a close-knit community.

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She added: “We had some laughs and street parties back then too for the kids and we shared the baking among us.

“We had a party at Easter, a party for the good weather and a party in July and before the kids went back to school again.

“I always liked where I lived and I was always lucky to get good neighbours and I wouldn’t like to live anywhere else and my family all live in Rathcoole.”

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