ILMINSTER woman Sarah Maylor has been shortlisted from more than 300 entries to the 2012 Housing Heroes Awards.

The awards, now in their fourth year, showcase the people and teams doing exceptional work in the housing sector.

Sarah, 29, a development manager with Yarlington Housing Group, is now one of six left in the running for the Career Development Star of the Year award – organised by Inside Housing magazine and the Chartered Institute of Housing.

Her submission details how she works for Yarlington as a development manager for what is one of the largest registered housing providers in the region. She achieved her MA with the University of the West of England in April 2011, having completed three years of studying Real Estate Management.

Not content with studying for the Master’s degree, she used the course to give her access to begin a two-year qualification with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors at the same time, which she will complete in 2012.

She said: “I think it is important to have this qualification to further my career as it ensures my skills are current and also brings with it the support of a professional body and the accreditation that it gives.”

From her home town in Ilminster, her work in housing made her aware of the effects of the localism bill and its impact on her community.

Rather than look on from the outside and complain about the problems, she took the decision to get involved and try to make a difference. So she became a member of Ilminster Town Council, where she felt that her gender and age group was underrepresented.

The Housing Heroes Awards are a great way to recognise the heroes who work selflessly across the housing sector in a great variety of organisations throughout the UK.

The winners will be revealed at a sparkling awards ceremony at London’s Hilton Hotel on Friday, May 11.