A businesswoman from Helston has scooped a place in a national top 20 list for the best young leaders in the housing industry.

Kirsty Hickson, 29, manages both Coastline Housing’s Homeless Service, based in Camborne, and the company’s Miners Court Extra Care scheme based in Redruth. She also takes responsibility for the landlord’s tenancy team which looks after customers in Coastline’s 4,200 homes, helping them maintain their tenancy.

She has just been featured on the 24 Housing Young Leader’s Top 20 national shortlist, which aims to find the brightest and best talent in the sector.

Now she moves forward into the second stage of the competition which involves a public vote to reach the top ten and get to the national final.

Kirsty said: “I was absolutely delighted just to find out I had been nominated, let alone to reach the top 20 shortlist. My job is one that I thoroughly enjoy and every day I see the impact we are making on local people’s lives, perhaps by helping an older person maintain their independence for longer or by helping a rough sleeper off the streets into accommodation. It’s incredibly rewarding on a day to day basis, so to be nominated for an award just for doing it really is the icing on the cake.”

If you would like to support Kirsty by voting for her to reach the next stage, you can cast your vote until 19th May at surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VMHJ67H