Shrewsbury Drapers Company wins prestigious award

The Almshouse Association was incredibly proud to learn that the Shewsbury Drapers Company has been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

They are among four Shropshire groups to receive the award which is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service was created in 2002 to celebrate the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation. It is the MBE for volunteer groups and is awarded for life. It is awarded to outstanding groups of volunteers whose level of initiative and impact are truly exceptional.  Each group is assessed on the benefit it brings to the local community and its standing within that community. Volunteers are expected to be leading its work. 

“I am delighted that four Shropshire groups have been awarded, The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service this year.  This prestigious award is richly deserved by each of the groups, who have made a real difference to so many people in the county of Shropshire.”

HM Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire, Mrs Anna Turner JP who will be presenting the awards

The Shrewsbury Drapers provide sheltered housing for the elderly, preserve the heritage of the Guild and their historic Hall and promote a textile design competition.  They have been running since 1462. The 52 almshouse beneficiaries are vulnerable elderly people who are selected on the basis of need. The newest block of almshouses, Drapers Place, opened in 2016 and was awarded The Almshouse Association Patron’s Award by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2019.  Locals and visitors benefit from Drapers Hall and its contribution to tourism and trade in Shrewsbury. The Textile Design Competition encourages and recognises the work of several hundred students and crafts people.

I am delighted that we have been awarded the QAVS.  Not only is this a superb recognition of all the hard work put in by our volunteers year after year, but also I hope that it will make us better known locally, and encourage a more diverse selection of skilled and energetic people to come and help us.

Major General John Crackett CB TD DL, the current Master of the Shrewsbury Drapers Company

Read the full article via Shropshire Live here
Find out more about Shrewsbury Draper Company here

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HRH visits Bond’s Hospital almshouses

The Almshouse Association was delighted to welcome our Royal Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales to Bond’s Hospital Almshouses, Coventry on 25th May 2021, during The Almshouse Association’s 75th anniversary year.

As part of his Royal ‘Away Day’ in Coventry, The Prince of Wales took the time to visit Bond’s Hospital, run by the Coventry Church (Municipal) Charities to meet with residents and trustees, and to cut a cake to celebrate The Almshouse Association’s 75th anniversary.

Upon his arrival, HRH was greeted by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, who presented Liz Fathi, Chair of The Almshouse Association, Nick Phillips, Chief Executive of The Almshouse Association, Mr Victor Keene MBE – Chairman of Coventry Church (Municipal) Charities, Mrs Virginia Rigby – Vice Chair of Coventry Church (Municipal) Charities, Mr Richard Kenyon – Chairman of Bond’s Hospital Estate Charity and Matthew White, Chief Executive of Coventry Church (Municipal) Charities.

Mr Victor Keene MBE presents HRH with a book

HRH was invited to sign the visitor book of the charity in the prayer room where he was also presented with a book by Michael Orten. The title of the book is ‘For so long as the world shall endure’ which was a phrase used in the Will of Thomas Bond (the charity’s Founder) in 1506 and relates to the term of the charity that he set up over 500 years ago.

HRH, The Prince of Wales chats with Mrs Eileen Nixon

Prince Charles then went out into the garden where he spent time speaking to the thrilled trustees and residents of Bond’s Hospital and asking them about their interests.

Nick Phillips, The Chief Executive of The Almshouse Association said,

“His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales once again showed his great commitment to the residents of almshouses. He is so interested in what they have to say and their individual stories.

The Prince of Wales has been such a significant support to The Almshouse Association and our members throughout the pandemic, and we were delighted that he took the occasion of the visit to Bond’s Hospital Almshouses to cut the cake celebrating 75 years of The Almshouse Association. The residents, volunteers and staff were so pleased and really enjoyed his company. It was such a boost for them, for us and the 1,600 almshouses in the country.”

His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales and Elizabeth Fathi, Chair of The Almshouse Association, share a joke as the cake, decorated with the charity’s logo, is cut to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Association.

In her speech, the Chair of The Almshouse Association, Elizabeth Fathi, said how proud the Association, the trustees and staff were to have the Royal Patronage, and how grateful they are that His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, is so supportive of the historic almshouse model. She said,

Head of Member Services, Rosie Sweeney made sure everyone got a slice of our 75th celebration cake

“It is an honour to welcome His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, to help celebrate the 75th anniversary of The Almshouse Association – a movement that began a thousand years ago:  a thousand years of providing warm, friendly houses for local people. That shows it’s a model that works!”

Residents, staff and trustees all raised a glass to toast this special moment.  

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The Almshouse Association represents and supports a network of 1,600 independent almshouses across the UK that provide community housing for some 36,000 people in housing need.

Throughout 2021, The Almshouse Association will be celebrating both their 75th anniversary and the achievements of the almshouse movement which spans over a thousand years.

Photos: Richard Gray
Top photographs: 1st image: HRH talks with residents (l-r) Mrs Sheila Tognonato, Mr David Stanley and Mrs Olga Miller; 2nd image: HRH is presented to Nick Phillips CEO of The Almshouse Association and Liz Fathi Chair of The Almshouse Assocation; 3rd image HRH with Mrs Janet Blair-Wilson and Mrs Patsy Keogh.

Posted 1 June 21

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Almshouses: an architect’s view

The word almshouse has two etymological roots: alms comes from the ancient Greek word for compassion; whilst house derives from the Anglian term meaning dwelling or shelter. 

Over nearly 1,000 years, almshouses have provided compassionate shelter to many people, but their benefits extend beyond this simple, charitable function because of their unique circumstances as locally constituted organisations with a common purpose of supporting people’s wellbeing.  The role of housing in health and wellbeing has always been important, but never more so than during the pandemic. Almshouses have demonstrated the value of local community support as a crucial alternative to the larger providers of supported housing. 

In my architecture practice’s work with almshouse charities, we have found that the relationship between each trustee, the residents, and the homes they inhabit to be unique and special, providing a foundation for wellbeing through closely-knit networks.  These provide preventative health benefits that keep people socially and physically engaged much longer in life, often focused in and around shared gardens.  In designing new homes for these organisations, our aim has been to capture this essence so that almshouses can continue to provide for their residents’ health and wellbeing for the next 1,000 years.

The Almshouse Association provides a crucial means for the great number of almshouse charities across the country to act as a network, learning from each other and representing themselves nationally, without losing their uniquely localised natures. 

We look forward to the next chapters in the history of the almshouse. 

Roland Karthaus is an architect, researcher and lecturer and is founding director of Matter Architecture.  The practice focuses on designing buildings and places that are sensitive to context, enduring and sustainable to improve people’s happiness and wellbeing in the long term.  https://matterarchitecture.uk

Feature image supplied by Roland Karthaus : How can housing be designed for greater social benefit – photo of walkway

Almshouse Association Ambassadors

The Almshouse Association is very honoured to have a highly accomplished and passionate group of Ambassadors to help shine a light on the importance of almshouses in the 21st century.

Our Ambassadors will be working with us to champion the almshouse movement, celebrate the great work that our members do to support their residents, and support us in the next exciting phase of our development.

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Perry Almshouses celebrate 170th anniversary!

The residents and trustees of the Perry Almshouses in Winterbourne on the outskirts of Bristol are extremely excited to be celebrating the 170th Anniversary of their beautiful, Grade II listed almshouses as well as the 75th Anniversary of The Almshouse Association this year.

Built and conveyed in 1851 by a local benefactress, Mary Anne Jones, the Perry Almshouses have housed those in need within the Ancient Parish of Winterbourne for 170 years.  The almshouses were named by Mary out of respect for her grandfather – the local Squire, William Perry.

A celebratory garden party is being held later this year when a tree will be planted to commemorate this very special occasion.

100 smiles from 100 almshouses!

We’re inviting you to take part in Captain Tom 100 from Friday 30 April to Bank Holiday Monday 3 May 2021 to celebrate Captain Sir Tom Moore’s amazing achievements and raise awareness about the almshouse movement!

Friday 30 April would have been Captain Sir Tom’s 101st birthday and is the one-year anniversary of the extraordinary celebrations that followed the conclusion of his fundraising walk that raised an incredible £38.9 million for the NHS. 

Celebrate his life!

Following the outpouring of heartfelt messages since Captain Sir Tom’s death on 2 February this year, his family pledged to celebrate his life with an event that everyone around the world could get involved in to celebrate his generosity, hope and sense of fun – the Captain Tom 100.

Get involved!

We would love to showcase the work that you all do to provide almshouses for those in housing need and have decided to celebrate the happiness surrounding the almshouse movement and positive impact your commitment has on residents.

All we are asking from you is for a photo of trustees and or/residents standing outside your almshouses, with the biggest smiles (socially distanced of course!). We will do the rest!

Our target is to share 100 smiles from 100 almshouses across the UK, across all social media channel and in the press, and on our website.

It is important to get permission from the owners of the smiles to share their photos, so please let us know that this is OK by sending the photo consent form when you send your photo through.

Please send all photos to Sue van Leest (collector of smiles) at susanvanleest@almshouses.org

“To celebrate the remarkable achievements of Captain Tom, the idea is to celebrate the happiness we have among our large family that makes up our almshouse movement. Almshouses offer those in need a safe and secure home at a price they can afford – but they are about companionship and the friendships that develop around our distinctive model of courtyards and gardens that define an almshouse. 

Combating loneliness is one of the causes that both we and Captain Tom are passionate about and our commitment to a strong community spirit for all our residents encapsulates this.” 

Nick Phillips CEO | The Almshouse Association

We look forward to receiving your smiles!

9 new purpose built homes set to be completed in 2021!

Thomas Parsons Square residents to benefit from move to purpose-built bungalows

Thomas Parsons’ Charity has been granted planning permission to build nine purpose-built bungalows for residents on land the charity owns on Deacons Lane in the Cathedral City of Ely in the heart of Cambridgeshire to be named ‘Chorister Court’.

The bungalows, which are set to be finished by autumn 2021, will replace the current almshouses at Thomas Parsons Square in the city and will help residents stay in the accommodation for longer.

The Thomas Parsons’ Charity almshouses at Thomas Parsons Square were built in 1884 and originally comprised of 30 units. In 1961 the Charity started to modernise the almshouses, enlarging the accommodation by amalgamating two or more units in to one.

The new bungalows have been designed so that residents can maintain their independence with step free access, convenient internal layouts and high levels of insulation. The almhouses will also come with digital and satellite TV, broadband connection and storage for electric chairs and buggies with charging points.

The decision to relocate residents was made following a long-term review by the governors of the charity, after taking advice from The Almshouse Association. They deemed that, because of its Grade II Listed status, the existing almshouses could not be adapted to help residents maintain their independence for as long as possible. The scheme will provide six one bedroom and three two bedroom single storey units with gardens.
Chorister Court is located adjacent to the Charity’s other almshouses at Bamford House and Deacons Lane Bungalows meaning that all of the Charity’s residents will be in one location, where there will be 25 units in total. This will benefit the residents who will be in a close knit community.
Thomas Parsons Square will be retained by the Charity and a decision on its future use will be made in due course.

David Brand, Chairman, of the Thomas Parsons Charity, which was founded in 1497, said:

“The governors all felt that building new almhouses that were specifically designed for older people would greatly benefit residents and the fact is we could not do that with Thomas Parsons Square, because of the constraints of the building having listed status. The residents needs are of paramount concern to the governors of Thomas Parsons Charity and we look forward to welcoming the residents to the new almhouses once they have been completed.”

The Almshouse Association is 75 years old!

2021 is the year we celebrate our 75th Anniversary of supporting and representing almshouse charities.

By support, we mean offering advice, guidance, grants and loans to almshouse charities to ensure the delivery of an exemplar housing model that has stood the test of time for over a 1000 years and continues to provide value and efficiency in its delivery of local affordable community housing for people in housing need.

Our 75th anniversary provides us with the wonderful opportunity to join together with our member charities and celebrate their achievements and dedication to the Almshouse Movement.

‘In a recent YouGov Survey* new figures show that eight out of ten people (84%) are not aware of any almshouses in their local area and identified that over 68% of people do not know what an almshouse is.’

YouGov Nov 20

It’s now more vital than ever to raise the profile of the many tangible benefits that almshouses bring to local communities and the heritage that our member charities are helping preserve for future generations.

Almshouses add to the warmth of a community, a ‘community spirit’ that offers safety and security and make it possible for residents to continue to live independently yet still close to familiar surroundings. They provide a place for social interaction but also privacy.

To commemorate our 75th Anniversary year we will be shouting about our 1600+ member charities and the wonderful work they do. We are inspired on a daily basis by the commitment, dedication and tenacity of our members and the passion they have for their almshouse’s and the residents they support.

Throughout 2021, we will be campaigning heavily in Parliament to generate more support for the Almshouse Movement and will look at opportunities to generate more local and national press coverage, with press interviews taking place at chosen regional sites.

Our member charities will be holding local events in celebration of their achievements and the role their almshouses have played in supporting local people in housing need. The ‘Open Garden Campaign’ starts in early summer 2021 and will run all the way through to the early autumn months. Residents will be baking cakes and sharing their delights with their local communities in recognition of the Almshouse Movement. Watch out for invitations being displayed in your local shops and businesses and on social media sites and join them in their celebrations.

There is so much history and inspiration surrounding almshouses, and the story of this 1000 year old affordable housing model needs to be told boldy and proudly. Join us and enjoy learning more about almshouses and the passion behind this amazing housing model that is a secret about to be told.

Please support us!

There are over 30,000 almshouses across the UK and many are in the process of refurbishment and/or redevelopment. We also have an aim to create over 5,000 more almshouses in the next ten years.  The demand is there but we can’t do this without your help. 

The Almshouse Association offers grants and loans to member charities who need the financial support to create the warm and secure homes their residents deserve. We need your  support to help them continue to refurbish/redevelop their almshouses to achieve the exemplar standard that we all want to achieve.

We also need the support to build new, state of the art almshouses that use eco-friendly building methods. This will future-proof almshouses to ensure they can continue to provide affordable homes for local people in housing need.

Please help us raise the awareness of the wonder of almshouses and the importance of this affordable community housing model by perhaps holding your own garden party in aid of your local almshouses, or connect with us or your local almshouse charity on social media. You can even use our new hashtag !

#SupportAlmshouses

If you would like to know where your nearest almshouse charity is, or would like to know more about how you can help join us to celebrate our 75th Anniversary year, please contact us at our office in Wokingham and we would be happy to talk to you!

Join us and celebrate the spirit of almshouses!

*All figures, unless otherwise stated are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2001 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between18-19th November 2020.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+)

Posted 26 January 21

Southwark Charities proposes new 21st century almshouse development

LONDON, 30 JULY, 2020 – Southwark Charities unveiled emerging plans for rebuilding its almshouses situated on Nicholson Street, Blackfriars, SE1.

For over 250 years, Southwark Charities has provided charitable housing on the site for those in need, hardship or distress and intends to continue to fulfil its historic mission by providing new modern homes for the 21st century.

Southwark Charities’ Almshouses provide accommodation for older people of limited means, who have been resident in the borough for at least five years, enabling them to live safely and independently for as long as possible, for an extremely modest maintenance charge, making them truly affordable.

The existing almshouses were built in 1973 and are reaching the end of their useful life. The primary purpose of this proposed new development is to build 60 new almshouses, more than double the existing number, on the Blackfriars site.

In addition, there will be around 220,000 sq.ft of high quality office space, 10% of which will be affordable workspace available to other Southwark-based charities and local entrepreneurs. This will not only support jobs in the area but also generate income and capital to pay for the almshouses.

The proposed scheme will also feature a charitable hub with accessible community facilities for residents and others in the locality, and a new, enlarged, on-site Prince William Henry public house (a fixture since 1785) will replace the existing one. Sensitively landscaped gardens, roof terraces and public footpaths will be a key feature, including a new east-west pedestrian link in the form of “Edwards’ Walk”, a nod to the founding father of Southwark Charities.

The aim is to deliver a highly sustainable, socially responsible mixed-use scheme which will create a vibrant and striking presence onto Blackfriars Road.


Commenting on the planned scheme, Chris Wilson, Clerk to the Trustees of Southwark Charities, said:

“The Charity has built almshouses in the 18th, 19th & 20th centuries, and now we need to rebuild them for the 21st century. Significant investment would be required to bring the existing units up to contemporary standards – that’s why we need to replace them rather than remodel them. The opportunity exists to double the provision by building 60 modern, purpose-built Almshouses to meet changing regulations, including a focus on sustainability, mobility access and community living”.

The History of Southwark Almshouses

The genesis of Southwark Charities’ Almshouse provision dates from 1717, when a wealthy stonemason, Edward Edwards, left his property and the rents from them to a group of trustees from his parish church to acquire land and erect almshouses for “decayed housekeepers and widows”. The site was acquired in 1752 for £350, and the first almshouses were built in 1753, and eventually grew to a total of 44 homes. By the latter half of the 19th century, the buildings were not fit for purpose, and so were demolished and rebuilt to an archetypal Victorian pattern. Following bomb damage in the Second World War and the general dilapidation of the area, the Victorian almshouses were demolished in their turn and the current Edward Edwards’ House was opened in 1973.
The accommodation is for individuals over 55 years old who are in need, hardship or distress and who have been resident in the Greater London area for the past five years. However, preference is given to residents of the London Borough of Southwark.
Today, Southwark Charities focuses on five core areas:
• Provision of accommodation for older people
• Educational grants for schools in the borough
• Relief in need for the elderly
• Administrative services for other charities in Southwark
• Grant giving – the Charity supports the elderly people of Southwark via grants and gifts totalling £325,000 per annum.

The site was originally used as tenter grounds and market gardens; tenter grounds were fields covered in long wooden frames, onto which newly manufactured cloth was hooked and stretched taut to dry after the process of fulling (the removal of oils, dirt and impurities). Mr Boyfield’s “Dye-house” is shown on maps immediately to the south of the site. Generations of Boyfields were trustees and there is a Boyfield Street nearby.

The saying ‘on tenterhooks’ comes from this process of stretching cloth under tension on the frames and leaving it out to dry. The eastern half was given to market gardens, for the cultivation of food crops for sale in and around London. Although not reflected on maps, part of the land purchased by the trustees was then known as the ‘Physick Garden’, where herbs were grown for medicinal use. Shortly after the first almshouses were built, the remaining undeveloped land was leased for use as kitchen gardens.

Image credit: Secchi Smith