The Sovereign Housing Group Ltd (SHG) was set up in April 2005 as the group's parent organisation. SHG provides strategic and corporate services (e.g. development and finance expertise) to other members of the group in order to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of service delivery to residents.

SHG is non-charitable and registered with the Financial Services Authority as an industrial and provident society under the 1974 Housing Act. It is also registered with the Housing Corporation, which finances and oversees the activities of housing associations.

The main subsidiaries are Sovereign Housing Association and Twynham Housing Association, which own and manage more than 15,000 homes in the south of England.

The new group structure allows members to continue to develop, grow, and achieve their targets. It also enables them to meet the Housing Corporation's efficiency agenda, by providing opportunities to share services and undertake joint procurement. The group format will also enable other housing associations to join, maintaining their identity and local autonomy, and allowing for even greater efficiencies.

Our mission statement - "Forming partnerships to provide homes and neighbourhoods where people want to live."

Sovereign Housing Association Limited (SHA) was set up in 1989 and is based in Newbury, Berkshire. It began as West Berkshire Housing Association, taking the transfer of 7,109 properties from the District Council. Since then it has grown and spread and now owns and manages 12,700 homes for rent and low cost home ownership in the south and south west of England.

At 31 March 2005, the Association employed 352 staff and had an annual turnover of £45 million.

The Association is a charitable industrial and provident society and it is registered with the Housing Corporation as a Registered Social Landlord or RSL.

For further information check http://www.sovereignhousing.biz/group/index.htm