LIVE - The magazine for Optivo residents Summer 2017 | Page 3

Optivo has 90,000 residents across London, the South East and the Midlands.
We thought we’d take the opportunity to introduce you to some new faces.
Hi everyone, I’m Matt Bromley. I live in Kent
and I’m an involved resident at Optivo. I’ve
been a Chair of the Kent Gateway Area Panel,
helping improve services for residents for
five years. I’m now helping shape the new
resident governance structure for Optivo.
My name is Nicholina Blewushie. I’m an Optivo
resident in London. I also volunteer for Optivo.
It all started when I got out of a difficult marriage
and moved to London with my daughter. I wanted to
carve out a career for myself and develop my skills
so I took the opportunity to become a volunteer.
It started with a six week intensive course in
Housing Practice and Business Administration.
I love to get out and chat to other residents
to find out what they think of Optivo and
what improvements could be made.
I now volunteer with the Communications
Team. I’ve had some amazing support
which has improved my writing skills and my
confidence. I’m looking forward to applying for
new jobs with the experience I have gained.
It’s been a privilege to have been involved in
the merger of Viridian and AmicusHorizon.
So much hard work has gone into creating
Optivo. It’s going to enable us to build more
homes and stronger communities. I’m so
excited and so proud of everything we’ve
done to create this new organisation.
I must confess, I was a little sceptical when
I heard about the partnership between
Viridian and AmicusHorizon. My initial
thought was our rents would go up!
What I’m proud of...
I’m really proud that in April this year I
completed my first ever London Marathon!
However, I’ve come to realise that the new
organisation is really focused on helping us –
especially when it comes to value for money.
Several years ago I lost my leg in an accident. I also
developed kidney disease and faced a challenging
time overcoming mental health issues. But I
wouldn’t change any of it, because of the person
I’ve become and the people I’ve met! I completed
the London Marathon in my wheelchair, despite
some nasty blisters and a pulled wrist! I even
raised more than £3k for Kidney Research UK.
I’ve also been impressed by Optivo’s pledge to
build more affordable homes and create more
volunteering opportunities for residents.
What I’m proud of...
I am particularly proud of the confident
and independent woman I have become
and also proud of the confident and
intelligent daughter I am raising.
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