A property management company based near Kendal has scooped two national awards for its work in the residential sector.
Rowan Block and Estate Management was named Managing Agent of the Year (1,001–3,000 Units) at the 2026 ACE Awards.
Property manager Amy, based at the company’s Lytham office, took home the Outstanding Customer Service Award (Individual) for her work managing apartment blocks and housing estates.
Amy and Gillian with their awards (Image: Rowan)
Sophie Brook, who co-founded Rowan with her husband Chris, said: “Amy is such a valued member of our team and a fantastic person and we are so pleased her work has been recognised nationally.
“It is especially exciting because Amy is still early in her career so this is a wonderful achievement for her personally.
“We only entered two awards so to win both of them was a real shock and showed just how much the team’s hard work has paid off.
Amy with her customer service award (Image: Rowan)
“We were originally just thrilled to have been shortlisted.
“Amy messaged us at around 10pm to say we had won.
“Chris and I were at home getting ready for bed and could not quite believe it.
“We ended up going downstairs in our dressing gowns to have a glass of cava, trying not to wake the children because we were so excited.
“We strongly feel this is a team award so it was wonderful that members of the team had the opportunity to experience the awards night.”
Chris and Sophie with their eldest daughter in 2019 when they started the business (Image: Rowan)
Rowan manages around 130 residential sites across Cumbria, Lancashire, Morecambe Bay, South Lakeland and the Fylde Coast.
Services include maintenance, budgeting, resident meetings and ensuring compliance with fire and health and safety regulations.
The company was established seven and a half years ago by Chris and Sophie Brook, who returned to their home region after working in Manchester and London.
It now operates from offices at Levens Hall near Kendal and Peel Hall Business Park in Lytham.
The company launched with just six clients and was initially run from a garden shed at the family home.
Rowan now has a 14-strong team and maintains a focus on serving developments within a one-hour drive of its offices.
The company said this approach allows for fast response times, in-person site visits and strong relationships with local contractors.
The name ‘Rowan’ was inspired by a family walk around Loweswater and the sight of a rowan tree.
The tree is seen as a symbol of wisdom, protection, courage and resilience.
Chris Brook, co-founder, said: “Being local really matters to us.
“We know many of the areas, streets and buildings we manage or visit and that local connection makes a real difference.
“That is why we typically only take on clients within around an hour of our offices.
“We want to be close enough to visit sites, understand the buildings properly and support clients in person when they need us.
“To win both categories we entered is a huge moment for the whole team.
“We are very proud of Amy, Gillian and everyone at Rowan who works so hard for our clients.”
The company is rated ‘excellent’ on Trustpilot, with 42 five-star reviews and one four-star review, and boasts a 98 per cent client retention rate.
