PICTURE AND TRIBUTES TO  A COMMUNITY HERO

The funeral takes  place next Tuesday (16th) of  community hero Billy Lyon who died last week.

His family kindly  supplied  this picture  taken at a family wedding.

The funeral service is at Carlisle Crematatorium at 12-20 pm.

Billy was a leading community worker and played a major part in getting support for suffering Riverside Housing Association tenants and leaseholders.

When everything else failed, Billy   turned to the Bishop of Carlisle  for help.

Help came from the bishop and Billy went on form a successful church-helped action group against Riverside,Carlisle`s biggest landlord.

Billy was a leaseholder in a flat owned by Riverside Housing Associaition which owns more than 6,000 homes, all former city council houses.

Billy tried repeatedly for many months to get repairs done to his flat in Sunnymeade, Upperby, Carlisle. He then discovered there were many other desperate people in the city who had similar problems with Riverside. And no-one could help them-neither councillors nor MPs.

Those community groups which tenants and leaseholders turned to for help when the city owned the houses had all been abolished by Riverside.

In desperation, Billy turned to the Church of England and contacted the Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt. Rev. James Newcome. The bishop could give no direct help but put Billy in touch with the Carlisle Cathedral authorities.

Working with those authorities, Billy invited complaining tenants and leaseholders to a meeting in the cathedral close and an action group, Cumbria Riverside Action Group(CRAG)  was formed two years ago. It is chaired by Canon Michael Manley,  the Cathedral Missioner and Carlisle Rural Dean.

A city councillor and a county councillor  joined  the group and political parties sent representatives. Representations were made from the group to the city council and then on to Riverside. And  the Liverpool-based  association started to take notice.

Billy was a strong supporter of Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation, a community group. He helped the Federation at  meetings  of Longtown Action for Heat which was formed  by 60 angry tenants of Riverside who for four winters were unable to afford to heat their homes.

Billy also did pioneering work in contacting lawyers in other parts of the county, hoping to get   help to bring legal action against Riverside.

A spokesman for the Federation said today:” Billy  was a true community hero and  also a pioneer in  efforts to support his fellow leaseholders and tenants.

“Billy realised that Riverside  was untouchable and  accountable to no one.So no one could help him.Undetered, Billy  attempted to get legal action started against them. But without  a lot of money he could do very little. So he turned to the church who gave him what help they could. He was very grateful for this help.

“Fortunately, the group that he helped to form, Cumbria Riverside Action Group has had some success. At last,  and  after the 14 years since Riverside took over the city council houses the message is starting get through to them.It was a real breakthrough, all thanks to Billy”

Billy was 68, and a retired factory worker. He had been suffering from cancer for some time.

Issued by Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation