75th Anniversary - Members stories | The Almshouse Association

St John’s open 15 new almshouses

21st March 2024 | Hampshire Chronicle

YEARS of planning and months of hard work finally paid off as 15 new almshouses were officially opened in Winchester.

The apartments, in Colebrook Street, are owned and run by charity St John’s Winchester. Located across five sites in the city, St John’s Winchester almshouses provide an affordable, supportive, and safe living environment for people over 60.

Work begun to convert the site, which used to be staff accommodation for the Wessex Hotel, in March 2021. 108 Colebrook Street was also renovated as part of the project and turned into two one-bedroom flats, a one-bedroom maisonette, communal area, and assisted bathroom.

Dignitaries and representatives from the charity, including Chairman of The Almshouse Association, Willie Hartley Russell were invited to a special event on Wednesday, March 20 to mark the completion.

Nigel Atkinson, Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, unveiled a plaque after speeches by St John’s CEO Clive Cook and chair of trustees Roger Bright.

“I want to acknowledge the brilliant work St John’s does both here in their almshouses and also through their community-facing services.”
Nigel Atkinson, Lord-Lieutenant

The Charity is currently looking for residents for the remaining vacancies of the almshouses, and a recent application process has drawn scores of applicants.

“These new almshouses represent a major step in securing the St John’s community in central Winchester for generations to come. They are state of the art, energy efficient and designed to facilitate mixing amongst community members and good neighbour relations. Every type of care can be delivered in them by our wonderful care team. The vast majority who move in will find a home for life.”

Clive Cook, CEO St John’s Winchester

For more photos of the event, please visit the St John’s Winchester website here.

Supported by welfare staff, St John’s residents will be part of a community of neighbours, friends, and staff. The almshouses are a registered provider of care with the Care Quality Commission, and although residents are encouraged to lead independent lives, they can also make use of the 24/7 assistance and support provided.

photo credits: Hampshire Chronicle, St Johns Winchester Charity

posted 2 April 2024

Association loan case study: St Mary’s House almshouses

St Mary’s Church Homes – replacement of front windows

Part of the service The Almshouse Association offers it’s member charities is to help support them with grants or loans if they do not have sufficient funds to carry out necessary works to their almshouses.

St Mary’s Church Homes needed to replace the windows in their almshouses and were given an Almshouse Association loan of £55,000. Now that the work is complete, the trustees have kindly put together a case study to demonstrate how the funds have been spent and the difference it’s made to their residents’ lives.

BACKGROUND

St Mary’s House in Ealing, London W5 was built in 1900 with 12 one bedroom flats (ground floor and first floor). Major work was carried out in the 1950s and 1990s to improve these dwellings. In 2016 two additional dwellings were built, one at either end of the block. Both were designed to be accessible for persons of limited mobility; one of these dwellings has one bedroom, the other has two bedrooms. All the flats are currently occupied and in recent years vacancies have been filled quickly by persons satisfying the criteria of their trust deed.

_{May 2023 – St Mary’s House before replacement of windows}

PLANNING

A report on the condition of the flats in 2019 indicated that substantial work would be needed in the medium term on the front windows of the original flats. Since the flats were built secondary double glazing had been added, but the original wooden frames dating from 1900 had not been replaced. Although there had been regular maintenance, significant defects had developed in these windows. Some windows did not open and close easily and some suffered with condensation. Because of the age of the windows, there was substantial heat loss.
In 2021 the trustees commissioned a more detailed survey, from architects they had used on previous projects, for their options on repair or replacement of the windows. This report compared having an ongoing programme of repairs, replacement with PVC windows or replacement with wooden frame windows. Following receipt of this survey they requested and received three quotes; two for wooden frames and one for PVC frames.
During 2022 the trustees carried out investigations on the potential suppliers of the windows and the details of the specifications, including one factory visit. By October, they were ready to make a decision to proceed. They selected a specialist window manufacturer to make and fit modern glass with wooden frames and appointed their previous architects as architect and quantity surveyor for this project.
In January 2023, the trustees confirmed the contract with the window manufacturer to start work on making the windows. By paying the deposit they were then effectively fully committed to the project proceeding in 2023. They appointed a local building firm to carry out the associated building work; erecting scaffolding, making good the plaster and decoration around the fitted windows and repainting the outside to take advantage of scaffolding being in place. Some employees of the building firm were already familiar with the building having been involved in the 2016 extension.

PREPARATION FOR INSTALLATION

The residents were first told about the plan to replace the front windows by letter in January 2022 and were given the opportunity to ask questions at the annual meeting in May 2022. When the timing of the work (May – June 2023) was known, the trustees arranged a meeting with residents to discuss the practical arrangements.
Within all 12 flats the area next to the front window had to be cleared to avoid damage to the residents’ possessions when the new windows were fitted. Storage boxes were hired to enable residents to store items off-site and residents were offered help from the trustees to pack items or move items to another part of their flat.
The Charity then announced the detailed timetable so that a resident could arrange to be out on the day that their old window would be removed and new window fitted. The trustees explained to residents that making good of plaster and repainting would be a gradual process during the month following the installation. Part of the lawn to the side of the building was used to create a secure storage area between delivery from the factory and installation.

_{May 2023 – scaffolding erected for full length of building}

INSTALLATION

When fitting of the windows commenced in mid-May, the fitters immediately encountered a problem with one batch of windows. Measurements had been taken before manufacture commenced, but it was discovered that there had been errors at design stage in applying those measurements (the end flats have a slightly different design to the central flats).

Fortunately, the builders discovered that there was a void space just above the existing windows and this space could be used to enable most of the manufactured windows to be fitted. Completely fresh windows had to be manufactured for only two of the flats. Through the diligence and cooperation of all involved, these problems were quickly overcome and the project was able to be completed within the agreed time scale.

Once the majority of the new windows had been fitted the builders started work on making good the plaster around the windows and repainting the walls and ceilings of the front room of each flat. While the scaffolding was in place they also repainted the outside of the front of the flats.

_{New window frame going into ground floor flat}

_{New window frame fitted to ground floor flat}

_{Preparing to install window in upstairs flat}

_{Installing new window in upstairs flat}

HAPPY RESIDENTS

The residents gave feedback that both the fitters and the builders were always courteous and considerate. Access was needed to the individual flats to carry out the work and the residents are delighted with the quality of work. They are all proud of their new windows and the neat finish to the decoration in that area. They benefit both in personal comfort and financially from now having double-glazed windows providing a high degree of thermal efficiency.

FINANCE

As at December 2022, the Charity’s net realisable assets were £105,000. In addition, they secured a loan from The Almshouse Association for £55,000. The amount of this loan was set taking into account their existing loan for the 2016 extension, for which £40,000 was still outstanding at the end of 2022. Excluding the windows project, the Charity estimated that income would exceed expenditure during 2023 by at least £20,000, which gave them a margin for contingencies.

When the trustees placed the order with the window manufacturer in January 2023, the estimated project cost was £160,000. At this stage, they had not received a quote from the builders and used estimated figures from the architects. They recognised that the payment to the builders would depend on the extent of making good and work on the outside to take advantage of the scaffolding. The actual cost of the work was £180,000 (windows £76,000, builders £89,000, architects £14,000, sundry £1,000). Phasing of payments enabled the Charity to meet all payments as they became due.

OUTCOME

The quality of the window frames and the windows is very high. The design matches the previous windows and hence preserves the look of the building.

By replacing all the front windows at the same time, they benefited from economies of scale.
The Charity will avoid substantial maintenance costs from deterioration had the existing windows remained in place.
The new windows are expected to last for at least 60 years and maintenance costs should be low.
The residents are pleased with the ease of opening and closing the new windows. In the summer this makes it easier for them to ventilate their front room. In winter, the improved insulation will help to contain energy bills.

_{Repainting outside while scaffolding in place}

_{All windows fitted and repainting complete}

LESSONS LEARNED

“Measure twice, cut once”

Every dwelling must be measured separately before starting construction. Dwellings may look similar, but particularly if they were originally built many years ago there may be small variations in dimensions. A small amount of time checking measurements can avoid costly errors in manufacture.
This project required much involvement throughout from the trustees in liaising with architects, two firms of contractors and residents, as well as attention to detail over a considerable number of issues.
A project of this nature, involving replacement of key parts of an existing and inhabited building, can require much more thought, attention and effort than new construction or work on an empty building.

We would like to congratulate all the trustees and contractors for their hard work and determination to ensure these beautiful almshouses have been preserved and can continue to provide safe and warm homes to people in need for many more generations to come.

We would also like to thank the people who so kindly donate to The Almshouse Association or leave gifts in their Wills. Without their generosity, we would not be in a position to help support almshouse charities with their renovations and new builds.

The Almshouse Association awards loans and grants to our member charities every year. In 2023, £804,624 was approved in new loans and grants approved totalled £78,590. Charities pay no interest on the loans, just a small administration fee. As they make repayments on the loans over a ten year period, the Association can continue to offer loans to charities year after year, meaning that your donations continue to support almshouses and their residents in perpetuity.

If you are interested in making a donation to The Almshouse Association or leaving a gift in your Will, please do visit our Support Us pages here.

Association grant helps John Sayer Almshouses

John Sayer Almshouses Grant Case Study

John Sayer Almshouses is a small charity, consisting of four units in a grade 2 listed building on the High Street of Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. The almshouses were built in 1684 as six units and in 1965 were adapted to make four slightly larger units.

Unfortunately, the building materials used in the 1960s were not sympathetic to the needs of an old building. Gypsum plaster on the inside, cement pointing on the outside and some leaky gutters have led to some very damp walls.

The photo on the right shows a big damp patch on an external wall. This wall also contained cracks due to the weight of traffic coming down the road. The resident in this unit would find damp on the inside of her wall and in summer 2022 when we had the very hot weather for a number of weeks she told the Charity that it looked like “the wall is crying” as there was so much damp.

A dehumidifier helped, but something significant needed to be done. The Charity’s newly appointed surveyor recommended repointing the walls and fixing the gutters as a priority. The estimate for this work was £29,000. Unfortunately, the reserves of this small charity had been depleted a few years previously when they encountered a problem in the roof. They also experienced a significant reduction in income when two of the units were unoccupied.

Work begins

The Charity applied to several organisations for support, but report that it was The Almshouse Association grant of £25,000 that allowed them to start with the repointing of the side and back wall and, along with other funds, they were also able to renew the guttering.

The repointing work was carried out over the summer of 2023 by Mathias Restoration, specialists in historic brickwork. The cement was painstakingly chipped out by hand and then lime mortar was applied. Where the original lime mortar was sound, this remained in place.

The power of PR and marketing

The almshouse is situated on a busy corner in the middle of the High Street and they found that people would often stop and ask what was happening. This prompted the Charity to put up a poster explaining the process (and asking for donations).

The project also spurred the Charity to set up a website, Instagram and Facebook accounts and look at their engagement with the town. A reporter wrote an article in the local magazine about the almshouses.

For the first time in the Charity’s memory, they held two open days over the summer and received 400 visitors! Residents were pleased to open their homes and talk to members of the public about living in the almshouses. The public were delighted to see inside the building that they pass every day. The open days raised almost £2,000 in donations and significantly raised the Charity’s profile in the town.

The remainder of the grant, funds from the open days and a generous individual donation enabled the Charity to complete the gutter project.

“There is less to see of a ‘before and after’ with the gutters, as with renovations to listed buildings much of the idea is that you don’t see a difference! We do have a splendid new hopper on display at one end so people can tell that something has happened!

We will probably need to wait until next year to really see the impact of this project, but the building already feels dryer and the dehumidifier which is running in our one vacant unit is collecting less water. The wall with the big damp patch and cracks from the first picture looks much better.”
Charity Trustee

Project advice for other charities embarking on a renovation

“If you are facing the prospect of multiple building projects, totalling a significant sum, break them down into smaller individual projects and look for the funding for each. You are more likely to get several smaller amounts than one large amount. Also, if you start the process and complete some of the smaller projects, it demonstrates your ability to raise funds and could give other sources of funding more confidence in your capacity to get things done.”

The photos above and below have been shared by the Charity to show before and after each step of their project and to demonstrate how the grant has been well spent. We would like to congratulate all the trustees and contractors for their hard work and determination to get the job done. We can see the difference it has made to the building and know that it will also make a difference to the living conditions of the resident.

If you are interested in making a donation to The Almshouse Association or leaving a gift in your Will, please do visit our Support Us pages here.

John Sayer Almshouses

John Sayer was a loyal adherent to Charles II during his exile and became his chief cook after the Restoration. He lived in Berkhamsted Place. Sayer’s acquaintances included the diarist Samuel Pepys who recorded the following passage in September 1661:

“I went with Captain Morrice into the King’s Privy Kitchen to Mr Sayers, the master Cook, and there had a good slice of beef or two to our breakfast; and from thence he took us into the wine cellar where, by my troth, we were very merry, and I drank so much wine that I was not fit for business”.

In his will dated July 1681, Sayer bequeathed £1000 in trust “for the building of an almshouse and the purchasing of lands for the relief of the poor in Berkhamsted St Peter”. He did not live long enough to finalise the details; his wife Mary dealt with implementing his wishes. The building cost £269, the balance being invested. She outlived John by 30 years. John Sayer’s black and white marble tomb is located in the Lady Chapel of St Peter’s church
(extract from the website of John Sayer almshouses)

Repointing Project

Guttering Project

Association loan helps Thomas Amphlett almshouse renovations

Case Study: The Charity of Thomas Amphlett, The Farthinghoe Almshouses

The Charity of Thomas Amphlett was provided with a loan from The Almshouse Association for £25,000 at the beginning of 2023 to update and install a new bathroom in each of their three almshouses and to externally insulate the three bathrooms and flat roofs.

The Board has kindly put together a report as they reach the half way point of the project with the bathrooms complete and the insulation work planned for 2024.

History of the Charity

The original foundation goes back to 1830 when Reverend Francis Litchfield agreed with Thomas Amphlett to set aside land in Farthinghoe, Northamptonshire for the building of three houses for the poor aged 60 and over, resident in Farthinghoe. The houses were built in 1837 and the Churchwardens of the parish of Farthinghoe confirmed as legal trustees by the Charity Commission in 1881. The Charity Scheme was amended in 2007 to enable younger residents in the parish of Farthinghoe or the surrounding area at the time of appointment to be considered, with the permission of the trustees.

Unfortunately over the years the almshouses had fallen into disrepair. With the input of two new trustees, including the writer, in 2003/2004, it was evident that extreme measures needed to be put into place to secure the future of the almshouses. Previous discussions and meetings had considered merging with another almshouse charity, or at worst the possibility of a Closure Order. The trustees were faced with a cottage which had been empty for some five years, two occupied, but with one resident refusing to pay weekly maintenance contributions due to the extent of outstanding work to be carried out. It was interesting to read notes of the Minutes in 2005 that the charity was at that time unable to service a loan from The Almshouse Association. However, now determined to save and refurbish the property the new trustees investigated raising the necessary funds.

Raising funds for renovations

With the help of Trevor Hargreaves from The Almshouse Association we were recommended for a grant from the Oliver Borthwick Trust which resulted in a grant of £5,000 in July 2006. From this pivotal donation others followed including £6,000 from South Northamptonshire Council towards the damp-proofing and £7,500 and £3,500 from a very generous anonymous donor. The Farthinghoe Parish Council and the local allotments also contributed. Richard Marriot from the Oliver Borthwick Trust had visited No 3 Almshouse on 5 February 2007 and would report back on how their grant would be spent. I know they would be very pleased to know that their grant to the charity helped to form the almshouses into the comfortable homes they are now with very happy residents.

In 2007 the trustees were able to begin the extensive refurbishment of the Farthinghoe Almshouses.

Over the last sixteen years the trustees are pleased to report that the one-bedroom terraced houses with gardens have had the following work carried out.

Damp-proofed with outside remedial work
Replacement double glazed porches/new double-glazed windows and doors/security locks
Updated rewiring and plumbing
New kitchens, carpets and decoration
New felt roofs to bathroom extensions
Updating heating (night storage units)
Boundary fencing and extensive work to gardens

Due to these improvements it had been possible for trustees to contact The Fair Rent Department and implement a higher Fair Rent giving trustees the necessary means to implement maintenance provisions and reserve funds for the future.

By 2022, the trustees had followed up with further improvements:

Exterior replacement underground pipework which had perished with three separate stop cocks and water meters and modern pressurised water systems.
A new slate roof with Velux skylights.

£25,000 Loan from The Almshouse Association for three new bathrooms and insulation

Would the trustees be able to replace the bathrooms housed in single storey extensions built in 1966? Yes! With a loan of £25,000 arranged between The Almshouse Association and The Charity of Thomas Amphlett. The trustees had originally approached the Association for a grant but were delighted to be offered this loan which will enable three new much needed bathrooms to be installed in the cottages.

Additional funds from other organisations were now not needed. Had the trustees not been the recipients of this loan, the bathrooms would probably have been carried out one by one. Once the paperwork for the loan was completed in May 2023 the task began of finding suitable contractors to carry out this integral work.

Before the project began

The trustees were keen to upgrade all the sanitary ware, add extractor fans and replace the baths with modern wall mounted showers and bar mixer systems, which would be easier, safer and more economical for the residents to use.

Having gained quotes from three local plumbers in 2022 the trustees decided to accept that of Town & Country Plumbing & Heating who were reasonably priced and had the additional bonus of a full team of tradesmen to call upon so that they would be able to complete each bathroom quickly and efficiently.

Two trustees visited the plumbing supplier’s showroom (Banbury Heating & Plumbing) to choose flooring, tiles, sanitary ware, shower systems and taps. Only two changes were made being the colour of the flooring and the basin taps.

The project begins

Work commenced on 10 July and all three bathrooms were completed by 11 August, with just one more day of work on 18 September, being the final making-good and decoration. There was some miscommunication at times with Town & Country, but it resulted in an aesthetically pleasing design and the trustees appreciated their pragmatic approach. We would recommend Town & Country Plumbing & Heating Ltd (Banbury) for the quality of their workmanship and keeping to their quotation. Their plumber was also very sensitive to the needs of the residents.

There was obviously disruption for the residents but this was kept to the minimum possible and the plumbers ensured there was always a working toilet and water supply to the kitchen sink. They all coped very well with the disturbance and some were able to visit nearby relatives for baths/showers when necessary. Hopefully all this is a distant memory now as all three are delighted with their new bathrooms. Placing the shower control unit within easy reach when entering the shower was much appreciated. One resident has had a recent hip replacement operation and being able to shower as opposed to bathe is a blessing. Two of our residents wanted to contribute to a radio show they were listening to by recommending the Town & Country employees live on air!

Lessons learnt and helpful tips

During the work one or two trustees attended at the almshouses every day to be on hand for any questions from the residents and plumbers. In hindsight we would like have been on site when deliveries were unpacked to check that they were correct. An example of this was the colour of the bathroom flooring; the same colour had been ordered for all three, but ended up being fitted with different colours to each bathroom. The trustees accepted this and now consider them to be more individual for the residents. We therefore recommend some “give and take” with any almshouse project.

Part of the loan is to be used to insulate the single-storey bathrooms. The unexpected discovery of a cavity in the exterior walls, whilst drilling for the new extractor fans, may mean a different approach to the type of insulation and possible replacement double glazing. Having received further advice and quotes, the trustees will decide on the best way forward to get the work completed in the near future and inform the Association of their decision. Any work on the roofs may have to wait until it stops raining!

My parting advice to other almshouse charities is to know where the mains stop cock is before starting any projects!

At the beginning of the first project in 2007, when an internal leak occurred, no one knew where the stop cock was, not even the Water Board! It was eventually found by a visit from the Water Board and now the cottages also have individual stop taps.

We are very pleased with the result of our project and I would particularly like to mention fellow trustee Merry Wadlow who played a major part in it’s success. We wish other almshouse charities good fortune with their proposed plans.

We would like to thank The Almshouse Association for their generosity and kindness in choosing our charity to be the recipient of their loan and for their trust in us. It is very much appreciated. I would also like to thank Fenella Hall, the Loans and Grants Administrator, without whose help I would have been lost at times. Her endless patience, knowledge and friendly manner made the whole project more simple than it at first appeared. After a conversation with Fenella everything was alright!

_{Written by: Mrs Jenny Forbes (Chairman), Trustees, Mrs Merry Wadlow, Mr Victor Tolchard, Mr Andrew Bowyer, 2 January 2024}

Did you know?

Funds used by The Almshouse Association to make loans to charities last in perpetuity. Loans to charities are interest-free with just a small setup fee. As they pay back the loan over a 10 year period, the Association is able to re-lend out the funds over and over again, ensuring more almshouses can be built or older almshouses can be preserved with a new roof or modernised with extensions or wet rooms. So if you are thinking about contributing to our rolling charity support fund by making a donation or leaving money in your Will, you will know that your money will be helping to change people’s lives for the better for many, many generations to come.

posted 22 February 2024

The London Garden Society Almshouse Garden Competition

Almshouses in London have been invited by the London Garden Society, supported by The Worshipful Company of Gardeners, to enter their almshouse gardens into The London Almshouses Garden Competitions.

Open to almshouses within the London Boroughs, The City of London and The City of Westminster or within locations or areas contiguous or adjacent to Greater London, the different classes in each competition are detailed below:

COMMUNITY CLASSES (i.e. maintained by the Management of the Almshouse Charity)

Class 1 Small Community Gardens (Area 2500 Square Metres or less)
Class 2 Large Community Gardens (Area over 2500 Square Metres)
Class 3 Patio and Courtyard Displays

INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS CLASSES

Class 1 Gardens
Class 2 Window Boxes
Class 3 Balcony Displays
Class 4 Container & Hanging Basket Displays

_{NOTE: These are independent competitions managed and run by The London Garden Society. The Almshouse Association offered to let our London member charities know about it via our website, but we have no connection to the competition; rules, entry forms and judging are all under the jurisdiction of The London Garden Society. Rules and booking forms can be found in the links below. Please address any queries to: Mr David Broome, Membership Secretary, The London Gardens Society, 79 Church Lane, East Finchley, London N2 0TH, E-mail: membership.secretary@thelondongardenssociety.org.uk}.

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY 1 MAY 2024.

posted 12 February 2024

St John’s Foundation Celebrates 850 Years of Service

On 1 February 2024 Her Majesty The Queen visited St John’s Foundation to mark the 850th anniversary of St John’s Foundation in Bath.

HRH Queen Camilla began her visit to Bath by meeting St John’s almshouse residents for tea and cake in the charity’s chapel, St Michael Within.

“It was an absolutely delightful day. Her Majesty exuded kindness towards each of us. She took a genuine interest in our lives, talking to us all individually and asking thoughtful questions. To have such a personal interaction with her was quite honestly was a cherry on the cake for my life.”
Islay, resident at the St. John’s Foundation almshouses

HRH then made her way through the centre of Bath to arrive at Bath Abbey where she was greeted in the courtyard by over 600 school children from five of the local schools that St John’s works with.

Within the Abbey, over 600 guests gathered for a Service of Celebration that paid tribute to the history and impactful legacy of St John’s Foundation over the last eight and a half centuries. Attendees included many of the charity’s direct beneficiaries, including older adults residing in the charity’s almshouses and local school children supported by its initiatives.

Guests heard a performance of ‘A Million Dreams’ and ‘Sing’ from the Voices for Life choir. The choir which was made up of 90 year 4 pupils from the local schools St John’s works with, was created specifically for the occasion.

Following an address which outlined St John’s future ambitions, CEO David Hobdey invited Her Majesty up to unveil the charity’s commemorative 850th plaque. The plaque will be laid within St John’s city centre courtyard, a place which has been the charity’s home for the last 850 years. Her Majesty, as Duchess of Cornwall, became Patron of St John’s Foundation in 2009. Her Majesty last saw the work of St John’s Foundation during a visit in February 2022 to Roundhill Primary School.

Reflecting on the service, David Hobdey says:

“It was an honour to have Her Majesty The Queen join us today to celebrate our 850^th anniversary. Her Majesty’s attendance made a very special day even more poignant, and we are so grateful to her for taking the time to meet our residents and join our Service.

It’s an incredible achievement to reach 850 years and humbling to think of all the historic events and upheavals that St John’s has survived. We are thankful to everyone who attended to help us mark this occasion. St John’s Foundation’s mission is to keep driving forward to continue addressing the needs in our community and changing lives, for good, for the next 850 years.”

Guests were invited to remain in the Abbey for a reception following the Service, where they heard from Executive Head of St Michael’s Church Junior School, Clare Greene, who spoke about the impact St John’s Foundation has had on local under-served pupils.

St John’s Foundation will be hosting several events later in the year to continue the 850th celebrations. These will aim to involve as many people in the community as possible, especially the charity’s direct beneficiaries, and raise awareness of St John’s work in Bath and North East Somerset.

About St. John’s Foundation

Established in 1174, St John’s Foundation is the oldest charity in Bath and 11th oldest in England. For 850 years, St John’s Foundation has been changing people’s lives, for good. As one of the UK’s oldest charities, they are proud to serve Bath and the surrounding area.

But they are still facing many of the same problems today as we have been throughout the centuries. It’s a dilemma that prompted the charity to launch the Foundation Fund in 2020. This work focuses on making sure every child under 12 has the chance to grow up as a healthy, happy, and educated member of our community; that they have the support they need to lead fulfilling, independent lives beyond school and into older age. St John’s is determined to narrow the primary school educational attainment gap, which is particularly acute in the BaNES area. Alongside this, they continue their long-standing work providing older people with housing and outreach services. With older adults now outnumbering younger people in the region, it’s more important than ever to foster an age-friendly community, promoting independent living for longer.

By addressing the needs of under-served young people, they believe they can change the direction of their lives, so that when they’re older, they won’t need us. The city and the neighbourhoods around it are beautiful and age-old. However, divisions and inequalities are concealed behind the veneer of Bath stone and rural beauty. St John’s work to address these modern challenges, forging connections with like-minded charities and donors to boost our impact. It’s a long-term strategy, but they’re unwavering.

posted 8 February 2024

Top photo credits: Beata Cosgrove Photography and Anna Barclay

Energy efficient and environmentally friendly improvements

Case Study: Kettlestone Charities, Little Snoring, Fakenham

This Charity received an Almshouse Association loan of £25,000 towards the cost of insulating the end of the property (bathroom), upgrading the hot water and heating system, and installing solar panels on the south-facing roof.

Clerk, Joanna Otte, has kindly shared the background to the renovations and takes us on their journey to a greener future:

Background

The small village of Kettlestone is fortunate to have two almshouses which provide affordable homes in North Norfolk where many local people are priced-out of the housing market and fewer properties are available for long-term rent.

Both the almshouses are believed to have been instituted during the 18^th century for the benefit of the needy within the parish of Kettlestone. One, the Schuldham Almshouse, was established in 1776 by bequest of Francis Schuldham, the then Lord of the Manor. The other, which was originally two dwellings, was bought by the parish and is thought to replace an earlier cottage of about 1736.

The latter, a single storey building, was renovated in 2010 (also with the support of a loan from The Almshouse Association). During that renovation the central wall, with its back-to-back fireplace for the original cottages, was removed to create a comfortable open-plan kitchen and living room with high-level insulation. The bathroom, however was not included at the time as it had only recently been turned into a wet room.

The project plan

Now, over twelve years later, the trustees needed to insulate the bathroom properly. As the occupant was moving to be nearer family, it was agreed that it was an opportune time to upgrade the heating and hot water systems as well as improve the insulation of the bathroom.

Advice was sought from ‘Leaping Hare’, a local company specialising in energy-efficient products. They suggested:

that the old immersion heater (which only heated enough water to fill a quarter of the bathtub) should be replaced with an energy efficient hot water system
the night storage heating should be replaced with more efficient infrared heating panels, and
solar panels (with a storage battery) should be installed on the long south-facing roof to provide electricity for the property.

During a morning in the empty almshouse with both Katharine from Leaping Hare and Craig from Osier Developments the plans began to take shape and adjustments made in order to improve the initial ideas:

Craig and his team would strip out the bathroom and the airing cupboard, insulate the exterior walls, replace the toilet, remove the bath completely and in its place install a vanity unit with a sink.
They would also carry out the repairs to the brick and flint work on the exterior of the building which had been identified in a recent Quinquennial Inspection.
Katharine and the Leaping Hare team would install the new hot water heater with additional pipes to the shower and the kitchen sink as these had previously been supplied by individual electric units.
Leaping Hare would also install infrared heating panels to the sloping ceilings of the living room, kitchen, porch and small corridor, and to the flat ceiling in the bedroom. This would free up wall space for bookcases or cupboards and allow the occupant to arrange furniture without the need to allow for hot air to circulate from wall-mounted storage heaters.
The heating in the bathroom would be provided by a large infrared mirror above the vanity unit, directing heat towards the shower.

Raising the funds

The initial quotes for the project came in at just under £37,000. Unfortunately the property was not eligible for grants from the County Council Warm Homes initiative nor from the local offshore windfarm fund.

So the Trustees applied to The Almshouse Association for an interest-free loan of £25,000 (plus 5% admin fee). The application process was thorough, but straightforward and assistance was available from the administration staff. The application was successful which meant that the trustees could go ahead with the full programme of improvements and upgrades, while still having funds available to tackle the maintenance and repairs which had been identified in Quinquennial Inspections for both almshouses (the other almshouse needed a new front door, repointing to brickwork and repairs to two chimney stacks).

The total cost of the heating, water and electrical and insulation upgrades (and the additional maintenance) at the almshouse came to just over £47,500. So the loan from The Almshouse Association was a great help and much appreciated by the trustees and clerk.

Payback on solar panels

The trustees discussed how to achieve the pay-back on the solar panel investment without disadvantaging the new occupant.

A number of options were considered, including taking on responsibility for the electrical bills. The latter was rejected as the trustees did not wish to be responsible for non-payment of bills nor to impinge on the occupant’s independence and incentive to use the solar-powered electricity, hot water and heating systems efficiently in order to get the ‘feed-in’ payment.
After much discussion and a helpful spreadsheet, it was decided to add £7.30 to the Weekly Maintenance Contribution which had in turn been set with reference to the Fair Rent Valuation from the Valuation Office Agency. This figure would mean that the investment in the solar panels would be recuperated over 40 years, while the occupant would benefit from low energy bills.

Happy resident, better environment

The new occupant is thrilled with her home and moved in as soon as the building and installations had been completed. With these measures in place the almshouse is more comfortable and cost-effective for the occupant in the short and long term, and has a beneficial impact on the environment and climate by reducing the use of and reliance on fossil fuels.

Did you know?

Bringing a 17th Century almshouse into the 21st Century

A mission to bring a 17th Century ‘Hospital’ in Ufford, Suffolk, into the 21st Century

– Refurbishment of the Ufford Almshouses – Mid-Project Case Study

In 2023, Ufford Almshouses received a £75,000 loan from the Association towards the extension and refurbishment of their two almshouses.

The charity clerk, Judi Hallett has been keeping the Association well informed of how the loan is being spent and shares this update as they reach the half way point:

The History

The Ufford Almshouses were originally called Woods Hospital. They were bequeathed to the Parish of Ufford in 1690, in the Will of Thomas Wood, Bishop of Lichfield.

Originally a hospital for the poor of Ufford, they were altered substantially in 1959 when they were converted into two dwellings. The most memorable features of these Grade II listed almshouses are the curved brick Dutch gables at each end. These incorporate huge chimney stacks and there is a similarly detailed stack along the ridge.

The properties were modernised in 1990 and in 2021, the trustees made the decision to bring the properties up to modern living standards.

The Project

The Current Properties
The current properties (2 and 2A Church Lane, Ufford) have 2 bedrooms, both upstairs, a small kitchen and a narrow downstairs cloakroom. The stairs split halfway to lead to each bedroom. The upstairs bathrooms have a bath but no shower.

The Refurbishment
The refurbishment will see a single storey extension to the rear incorporating:

a new reception room
the current living room will become a much larger kitchen/diner
the present kitchen and cloakroom will be knocked together to form a level bathroom with walk-in shower
the upstairs bathrooms will be refurbished
upgraded heating will allow underfloor heating downstairs and modern radiators upstairs
the roof will be completely stripped, new insulation fitted, and all tiles replaced. All windows will be either replaced or refurbished and all flooring will be renewed.

Half way point of project

The trustees are approximately halfway through the project:

the extensions to both properties are complete, with the extension for 2A being watertight
the roof is 100% complete with new insulation and tiles
2A has been completely gutted, with walls moved, new electrics fitted, all plumbing for the new bathrooms in place and the new boiler fitted. The kitchen is part installed and plastering starts this week in the extension. 2A is due to be completed in January 2024 when the current resident of 2 will move across to it, whilst her property is refurbished.

More pictures of the refurbishment can be found at: Pictures (suffolk.cloud)

Challenges

To date, the following challenges have been faced:

Bats – Ufford is a very rural village and home to many bats. Before the work could start specialist Bat Surveyors had to be engaged to ensure there were no bats roosting in the roof. Luckily, there were not but the trustees have decided they will put up bat nesting boxes when the project is finished.

Funding – The lead in time to get all the funding in place for the project was significant, around 18 months. The Charity joined the Almshouse Consortium Ltd who were able to provide the expertise needed to secure a grant from Homes England. It also took several months to receive approval from the Charity Commission to use up to £175,000 of the Charities’ endowment funds.

Extent of the refurbishment – There was debate about the extent of the scheme once the estimates had been obtained, in what was a period of significant increase in construction costs. The trustees decided that a lesser refurbishment would not provide the living space necessary for modern living for more elderly people, some of whom may have mobility issues.

How were the existing residents affected?

This whole project was initiated following the death of one of their long-term residents who had lived in 2A for 20 years and the property was in desperate need of refurbishment. This vacancy has allowed them to refurbish one property and then move their other resident, Mrs C, into the refurbished side, whilst her property is updated.

Although the move was just next door, Mrs C is in her late 80s and the thought of the moving and disruption understandably concerned her family. Offers of local rehousing for 2-3 months were made available at the outset and the option was kept available should Mrs C find the disruption too great. Mrs C made the decision to stay in the house next door and is really looking forward to her new downstairs bathroom, as she can now no longer use the stairs.

The building company chosen were local and all tradesmen have been very thoughtful and understanding; this was one of the considerations, together with cost, for them to be awarded the contract.

How was the project funded?

The majority of the funding has come from the Charity’s endowments and Extraordinary Repair Fund
The Almshouse Association reviewed the project in detail and held an onsite meeting with 2 of the trustees before awarding the Charity a loan of £75,000. This is to be paid back over a 10-year period, starting in 2024.
The trustees were also able to secure a grant from Homes England. In order to secure this grant they worked with Saffer Cooper and became members of the Almshouse Consortium Ltd (ACL). The grant is for approximately one third of the total cost of the project, but it is not paid until completion, so they have had to use more of the Charity’s endowments than originally planned, with a view to repaying these once the Homes England grant is received.

What will the benefits be of this project?

Once complete, the Ufford Almshouses will be fit for living in the 21st Century. They will be accessible and will allow for ground floor living, if required. They will have modern heating and they will be fit for purpose for at least another 30 years.

What happens next?

The project is halfway through; the first task is to complete 2A, and then move Mrs C into that property in order to refurbish the other property. Mrs C will have the option of remaining in 2A or returning to 2, her original dwelling. Either way, when the refurbishment is complete two local residents, with limited financial resources, will have warm and comfortable homes to live in.

What one piece of advice would we pass on to others?

Allocate a sub-group of trustees who can manage the project detail with the architect and the builder with regular (monthly) site meetings and controls to validate the interim project valuations.

Did you know?

Christmas gifts for 679 almshouse residents!

Every year, thanks to a generous legacy, The Almshouse Association is very pleased to be able to offer Christmas gift vouchers to almshouse residents over 90 years young and this year has been no exception!

_{Municipal Charities of Stratford-upon-Avon}

It has given us enormous pleasure to post out 679 Christmas vouchers to almshouse residents all over the country and we could not be more thrilled to have received these wonderful photos of residents receiving their Christmas gifts.

The story of our Christmas legacy fund goes back over 65 years, when Major Allnatt, a successful businessman and philanthropist who worked closely with and supported our founding General Secretary, Leonard Hackett, left a Christmas legacy to the Association.
The Almshouse Association invested the money to support his wish that every Christmas, gifts were given to almshouse residents over 90 years old. He wished his name to remain a secret until his death, many years ago now, but his legacy lives on, and it has been a great pleasure for the Association to be able to continue to honour his wishes every Christmas.

If you are interested in leaving a gift in your will, please do not hesitate to get in touch, either by emailing us at nickphillips@almshouses.org or calling us on 01344 452 922, or via The Almshouse Association – Remember A Charity

[top photos L-R, Le Personne Homes voucher handed to Mrs Ivy Batchelor who will be 98 next month, residents around the Christmas tree at Thomas Christie Charity and resident Marion Sheppard at Foresters Homes Trust]

Lench’s Trust, Birmingham, residents receiving their Christmas 23 gift vouchers

_{“Mrs Claridge is 100 years old and was personally overwhelmed with gratitude”}

Maldon Housing Association almshouse residents

Walton Charity, Elmbridge residents open their gifts

_{Angela and Margaret of Jesus Hospital almshouses receive their gift vouchers at their Christmas party}

John Henry Keene Memorial Homes – Chair Jenny Black and Trustee, Duncan Lumley hand deliver to residents’ doorsteps

_{The Almshouse Association Christmas card}

_{Bridport Charities Magdalen Almshouses trustee Robert Harris presenting gift voucher to resident, Marjorie, who is looking forward to spending it at Waterstones.}

_{Cardington Cople & Eastcotts Charity resident}

_{Lovibond Charity’s oldest resident, Mrs Morgan. 90 in June 23, with Charity’s Chairman}

Wishing you all a very
Happy and Healthy 2024
from all the team at
The Almshouse Association!

Christmas news stories from almshouses around the country

posted January 2024

100 year old almshouse resident shares life story

Hay-On-Wye almshouse resident Lynn Trowbridge celebrated her 100th birthday on 7 November 2023!

To mark the event, John Houmoller, Clerk of Harley’s Almshouses in Hay-on-Wye where Lynn has resided for over 20 years travelled back with Lynne over her extraordinary life, from finding herself in a ‘waifs and strays’ home when she was a child, to becoming the first woman manager of a business and they have both kindly shared the story with us all.

Born in Trethomas, Lynn hasn’t always lived in Wales. She returned back to Wales after regularly visiting Hay-On-Wye throughout her life.

“I’ve lived in Hay for about twenty-five years, but I’ve been coming here for a long time. I had a friend who lived on a farm in Clyro and one of my hobbies was horse riding, so that brought me here and I’d come down here most weekends. When I retired I moved down here. It was the best thing I did, really, because I had so many friends here, and it’s a lovely place to be.

For the first time in my life, for the last ten or fifteen years, I feel like I finally belong. I never felt like I belonged, but I have this sense of belonging being here.”

_{Lynn celebrated her 100th birthday in The Swan Hotel (The Brecon and Radnor Express)}

That sense of belonging was once missing from Lynn’s life, who recalls a less than favourable childhood. When she was a child, her parents passed away, and she was moved to the Midlands, where she found herself in the Church of England’s Home for Waifs and Strays in Leamington Spa.

“The very name is a downer. Even then, I remember thinking that I was not a waif and stray. It was an unfortunate description but that’s how things were those days. We were not encouraged to do aspirational things those days. We were told we would only be domestic servants and that was it. If we went into domestic service, we’d have a roof over our heads and we’d be fed. I could understand that part, but there was no encouragement to aspire to anything different.”

She left school at fourteen and was obliged to go into domestic service.

“It didn’t suit me at all. I thought, ‘I’m worth more than this’. I left the first place I was assigned to because they didn’t pay me, and then I got a job in domestic in the local hospital, being paid seven and sixpence. Out of those wages, I would pay for night school to learn typing. I don’t know why, but I knew I wanted to do something other than domestic work. I always knew I was worth more than what I was doing.”

_{Lynn in 1945, in her role as W.A.A.F Algiers (Lynn Trowbridge)}

At seventeen, Lynn saw an opportunity to develop herself and joined the RAF. “I fought through life and during the war, I joined the RAF for five and a half years. I went abroad to North Africa and Egypt.

“Volunteering to join the RAF, in a way, was the best thing I could have possibly done. People there didn’t know me. They didn’t know my background. I could be whoever I wanted to be. I never spoke about my background because the last thing I wanted was for people to feel sorry for me. I could be my own person and I flourished. When I came out of the services, I was able to get a job as a clerk. I finished up as a branch manager for a national company. I’ve had quite an eventful life, really. Life has been good to me. Whatever misfortune befell me when I was a child, life has made it up to me 1000%.

“I saw quite a lot of changes for the better. Not always, but mostly. Life has been better as I’ve aged. The older I’ve got the better it’s got. I didn’t have a happy childhood but I survived it and did the best I could.”

_{Lynne went on to rise to the highest position in a company called John Blundell’s Limited. (Lynn Trowbridge)}

Lynne went on to rise to the highest position in a company called John Blundell’s Limited. “I was the first female boss of the company. It was always men before that, so it felt good. I suppose I stood out a bit, but I don’t remember coming up against any bad attitudes because of where I was.”

When she retired, moving to Hay was an easy decision for Lynn. It turned out to be a good choice for her, too. It was here she discovered her talent for writing, going on to author two books about her life. She’s even spoken at the Hay Festival and shared her talent for writing with other budding writers in the town of books.

“One of my hobbies was making pictures and cards out of pressed flowers. There was a cafe in Hay that used to let me bring my work in. Out of the blue, I had a phone call from someone who said they’d bought some of my things from the cafe and asked if I wanted to supply her with more. She asked to meet me, so we met at the old Stables cafe and then after that, we started a correspondence through letters. She asked me if I wrote the next time we met, and when I said I didn’t, she told me I should, because she said I wrote amazing letters and said if I can write letters I can write.“

_{Age hasn’t slowed Lynn down. She still writes and is still an active member of Hay’s society. (Lynn Trowbridge)}

This friend helped Lynn explore the medium of writing, which would lead to her eventually joining the Hay Writers’ Circle. After a few years, she became chairman.

“My friend gave me a magazine that was asking for accounts of people’s childhoods in Wales. I sent off the article and to my surprise and delight, they accepted it, paying me £20. The person I’d met was a writer who belonged to the Hay Writers Circle and asked me if I’d join them, so I did and eventually became the chairman. After that, I never stopped writing. It revolutionised my life in many ways.”

She continued until she had a heart attack eleven years ago. “After that, I thought it was time to pack it in.”

Age hasn’t slowed Lynn down. She still writes and is still an active member of Hay’s society.

“I still feel useful. I go to church on Sunday and the community aspect of it is good. A lot of my friends are churchgoers.”

On her 100th birthday, Lynn had two celebrations. One with her family, and the second date with her friends, including the writers of Hay’s Writing Circle, and Father Richard Williams, parish priest of St Mary’s Church in Hay. “I have mixed feelings. In some ways, I would like it to pass quietly with nobody none the wiser, but that’s a selfish way of looking at things. I’m looking forward to it. I just hope I can stand up to the celebrations of it. When you get to my age you do get tired fairly easily.”

But she’s not slowing down, and her secret to a healthy life is simple.

“I’ve always been health conscious and I do exercise every day, and I’m happy. That’s the secret.”

There’s also another reason that might be at play, writes Clerk, John Houmoller, but Lynn wouldn’t admit this is the reason for her long life.

“I never wanted to marry. I’m happily single. I had a boyfriend who was keen on photography. He got on my nerves. Everyone after him also got put in the dustbin.”

Thank you so much for sharing your life story with everyone Lynne and John for taking the time to put it all together and send it in to us. Its so important that we hear about the lives of the people that have made almshouses their home. The beautiful historic buildings can make you stop in the street and the the stories of the philanthropist/s who established the charities are so important, but the happy residents they helped to provide safe, warm and friendly homes for are the real story of almshouses. These must be must be documented and forever cherished.

Do you have a resident in your almshouse that would like to share their story and let us know what living in an almshouse means to them? Please do get in touch with us either by calling Karen or Gerry on 01344 452 922 or emailing PRdesk@almshouses.org