Celebrating the new HQ: The opening ceremony

Yesterday was a very special day for ACH Bristol! 

As you might have already heard, over the past few months we have been extremely busy. We have been searching for new premises, sorting out contracts and refurbishing our brand-new office. Paul, our Operations Manager has been working day (and night) to find us the perfect location, refurbish the new office to suit our exact needs and to create an office-home for ACH Bristol for the future. 

Yesterday we were pleased to see all the hard work pay off and celebrate by welcoming Tim Bowles, Mayor of the West of England to officially open our brand-new office.  

Tim Bowles has been a great supporter of ACH over the past few years, and so it was very special to be able to ask him to officially cut the ribbon and ceremonially open the new office. We also thought it would be fitting and special to ask John Wells, Chair of ACH to cut the ribbon alongside Tim Bowles. 

For Tim Bowles, the new office is the next step in a longer journey for ACH: 

‘This is so much a part of this next journey for you. This, for me, is an incredible space – just the nature of the rooms you see and the vision you see, and how you bring people together at ACH’ - Tim Bowles 

For John Wells, seeing the evolution of ACH was an emotional and poignant moment: 

‘What a wonderful office we’ve got and how wonderful to have been able to see ACH’s progression for myself’ - John Wells 

For Fuad Mahamed, CEO of ACH, the new office ‘shows the ambition of the organisation, the ambition of the staff. And I really hope we can use this building to make a difference to the lives of the community that we serve’

Fuad also took a moment to thank some of the people who have contributed above and beyond to ACH over the years... 

Arif Khan from Brunel Associates, without whom ACH would not have grown the way it has. Brunel Associates are some of our most prolific landlords, contributing hugely to the housing we provide in Bristol.  

As Fuad said:

‘for those of you don’t know, he’s the man who trusted me with property number four...most of our properties in Bristol are from this agency. Without him we wouldn’t be the same business.’ 

Eileen Means, Vice Chair of ACH, who has supported ACH with dedication over the years.

Eileen said:

‘Everybody – I know this for a fact – goes above and beyond. And that’s what every organisation wants and needs if it’s going to grow, and bloom and thrive like ACH is growing. And long may it happen everybody!’ 

Akshah Maqsood from our Housing Team got a special mention for being one of our longest serving employees of ACH. From a room in a house on Badminton Road, St Pauls, to our brand new specially-designed office- Akshah has been a part of ACH's growth and development.

But, as this was a celebration for the new office, the person we really had to thank was our Operations Manager Paul Nash.

This was the perfect moment to thank Paul for his dedication, attention to detail and positivity throughout the moving process. We couldn’t have done it without him! 

After we had cut the ribbon, made all the speeches and thanked everyone – it was time to celebrate in true ACH style with delicious food supplied by Somali Kitchen! 

As our CEO Fuad said: ‘It’s not about talking. It’s about eating and celebrating!’