Genesis Housing Group is pleased to announce that Eastwards Trust has joined the Group as a subsidiary of Springboard.

Founded 28 years ago, Eastwards Trust is a charity providing specialist supported housing and domiciliary care services for the Asian community in London.

Eastwards Trust manages around 247 supported housing units for older people and people with learning difficulties, on behalf of the London Borough of Newham and three RSLs, including Springboard. It also provides floating support and domiciliary care services while managing a day centre for older people.

The Trust, based on the ground floor of Springboard House, is keen to expand outside Newham and is actively pursuing new business in the London boroughs of Redbridge and Hounslow, which both have large Asian communities.

Springboard is working closely with Eastwards Trust to help it achieve its vision of itself as an organisation that maintains its individuality while integrating with Springboard and Genesis Housing Group.

Harjinder Jutle, Managing Director of Eastwards Trust, says 'We welcome this partnership with Springboard Housing Association. It will strengthen Eastwards Trust for the benefit of the residents and the customers we serve.

Harton Bailey, interim Managing Director of Springboard, part of Genesis Housing Group, says 'We are delighted to be chosen by Eastwards Trust. Having met a number of its staff, customers and board members, we feel that there is shared commitment to providing quality services to the most vulnerable in society. This will be very important in making our new partnership work well.'

- Ends -

For further information about Eastwards Trust please contact Diana Evans on 020 8150 4178 / email diana.evans@ghg.org.uk

Notes to editors

Genesis Housing Group provides homes and services to tens of thousands of people across London and the south east, with the overiding aim of putting customers first and providing excellent service to all. The Group consists of PCHA, Pathmeads and Springboard housing associations. Genesis also has a charitable foundation, Genesis Community and is one of the largest and most diverse housing groups in the UK, owning and/or managing more than 38,000 homes.

Springboard joined Genesis Housing Group in April 2005. It currently manages over 5,000 units of accomodation in 24 local authority areas across London, Essex and Hertfordshire. In addition to general needs housing, shared ownership and leasehold properties, Springboard specialises in supported housing for the elderly and other people with a wide range of support needs. St Matthew Housing, it's existing subsidairy, provides housing and support to over 700 young single homeless people in East Anglia and the East Midlands.