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Tributes paid to tenant champion Richard Crossley
Tributes have been paid to a ‘fantastic community worker’ and champion of tenants’ rights who died last week.
Richard Crossley, 64, died last Monday following a battle with stomach cancer. Mr Crossley played a key role in setting up the National Tenant Voice, becoming its first chief executive before it was scrapped in July 2010.
Born in Halifax, Mr Crossley studied civil engineering at the University of Nottingham before moving into community development. Over four decades he helped tenants set up organisations across the country and championed their rights.
He later worked for the Communities and Local Government department on neighbourhood management policy, before helping to set up NTV. In January he was awarded an OBE.
Mr Crossley was diagnosed with cancer in February last year and would write movingly about his illness on his blog site.
Steve Hilditch, a blogger who had known Mr Crossley since the 1970s when they were community workers in Paddington, said: ‘Richard was a fantastic community worker who did valuable work helping tenants to organise and improve their lives.’
Mr Hilditch has written an obituary for his friend here.
A tribute posted on the Tenants’ and Residents’ Organisations of England’s website said: ‘Richard was a true friend of tenants and a passionate worker for tenants’ rights and for tenant involvement. He was a tireless community activist and brought a real sense of humanity to all discussions in Whitehall, which we greatly valued.
‘Richard’s passing will be a great loss to the housing sector but especially for tenants.’
Mr Crossley leaves his partner Jane, daughter Emma and son Alex.
