Representatives of the Otto Schiff Housing Association have been thanked for its key contribution to the redevelopment of Manchester's major communal welfare complex, Heathlands Village.

At a reception organised by The Fed, which adminsters the site, chief executive Karen Phillips said the £2 million award from Otto Schiff spurred other donors to contribute £7 million.

The OSHA was established to rescue Jews from Nazi oppression. It decided to sell off its assets to raise funds for communal projects, realising in the region of £60 million.

Speaking after unveiling the plaque to mark the OSHA contribution, the association's former chairman, Ashley Mitchell, explained that the association had fulfilled its mission. "Selling our properties meant we could do things with our money we could never otherwise have done. We needed well-run community organisations to come up with the ideas as to how our money could be put to the best use.

"Not only were we impressed by The Fed's far-sighted approach towards supporting the Manchester community in its entirety - people in need of all ages and from all sections of the community - but by the depth of its planning, thinking and vision for the future."

The Fed's chairman, Mark Adlestone - who received an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours - said that as a result of the redevelopment, "this is a place where people want to live, to come for respite and to visit. You hear children's voices and see families here in a lively setting that is far removed from the traditional concept of care. None of this would have happened without OSHA's faith in us."