2025 marked a significant milestone in our history as we celebrated 125 years since our founder, William Sutton, left his fortune to create some of the first social housing in London.
From those early beginnings in 1900 to becoming the UK's largest housing association today, our mission has remained steadfast: to provide good quality, affordable homes for those who need them most.
Throughout 2025, we marked this important anniversary by celebrating our residents, our communities, and the positive impact of social housing. We also launched new initiatives, telling powerful stories, and looking to the future.
Local Lives podcast
Real life. Real stories. Real impact.
As part of our 125th celebrations, we launched Local Lives: A Clarion podcast – a series spotlighting the voices behind our communities.
Hosted by Mihalis and Meg, each episode featured honest, uplifting conversations with residents, community leaders and frontline staff. From small moments of neighbourly support to big ideas that create lasting change, Local Lives captured what it means to be part of Clarion today.
Listen or watch now on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Or visit clarion125.com/local-lives to explore episodes and guest stories.
Celebrating the past, investing in the future
Our 125th anniversary wasn’t just about looking back, it was about creating new opportunities and recognising the people shaping our communities today. Here are some of the ways we celebrated our anniversary with our residents.
- The William Sutton Prize – with an enhanced £125,000 fund supporting innovation in sustainability and community wellbeing.
- Resident Hero Awards – recognising individuals who go the extra mile to support their neighbours and create lasting impact.
- The William Sutton Prize Scholarships – helping under-represented students pursue careers in architecture and sustainability.
- Film Schools – hands-on training for young creatives, delivered in partnership with Iconic Steps, empowering the next generation of storytellers.
- Making a Difference Fund – funding for community organisations to deliver creative, impactful local projects.
- Resident stories – capturing the lived experiences of those who call Clarion home, from past and present.
- The Foresight Group – a panel of thought leaders shaping our future strategy to ensure we meet the housing challenges of tomorrow.
Find out more
Get more information about our initiatives to mark our anniversary at clarion125.com, the hub for our stories, events, and opportunities over our anniversary year.