SALARIED partners, Karen Webb and Mike Owen, from Coffin Mew’s social housing team, have been elected to equity partner status from the beginning of the firm’s next financial year.

Karen joined Coffin Mew in 2001 and, prior to this, worked for a major house-builder which specialised in low-cost partnership housing.

She is involved in advising registered social landlords on the setting up of shared ownership and shared equity lease schemes and the supervision of the day-to-day sales. Karen also runs her own dedicated “affordable”

housing plot sales team and, alongside another partner, heads up the residential property team.

Mike joined the firm in 2008 with more than 15 years’ experience in the social housing sector, covering both housing and landlord and tenant litigation.

He heads the housing management team, alongside Scott Greenwood.

Mike has acted for landlords local authorities and housing associations.

He has also undertaken a great deal of work in the fields of homelessness and allocations legislation, including appeals to the county court and other housing and benefit-related judicial review actions.

Karen Webb Mike Owen Equity partnerships for firm’s housing experts RURAL businesses in Hampshire are being urged to sign up to a pioneering campaign which will encourage more residents and visitors to enjoy the South-East.

For two weeks, May 29 to June 13, Countryside 2010 is running a “super showcase” of recreational events, activities and attractions which, for the first time, will give a regional overview of just what the countryside can offer.

The programme brings together details of hundreds of events and activities with a rural setting or a rural theme.

The events are organised by country-based tourism businesses and visitor attractions, local authorities, special interest groups and communities.

In addition, such wellknown organisations as the National Trust, RSPB, Cycle Touring Club, British Horse Society, Ramblers and the Wildlife Trusts are all contributing to the campaign.

Programme entries already in the pipeline range from guided walks and rides to tours and tastings, open days and activity sessions. There will be something for all ages and interests, from bird watching to boat rides, paragliding to pub walks.

The initiative comes from the Rural Ways Partnership, co-ordinated by Tourism South East.

It is funded by the Rural Development Programme for England and the mapping agency, Ordnance Survey, and there are plans to take the campaign countrywide in 2012.

“Countryside 2010 offers rural businesses, groups and communities in Hampshire a unique and free opportunity to attract new interest, new business, new visitors, new members or new volunteers,”

said tourism South- East rural programme manager, Rachel Simpson.

“Our countryside offers a huge variety of things for everyone to enjoy but we can’t join in unless we know what’s out there.

Countryside 2010 provides joined-up thinking for businesses and organisers to get together over this two-week period and show us all who they are and what they do.”

For further information, visit www.countryside 2010.org.uk.