A Case Study

Why the work was needed

By 2024, it had become clear that a number of critical elements of the almshouses were reaching the end of their serviceable life. These included:

• Ageing water supply infrastructure, which was close to failure
• No roof insulation, resulting in poor energy efficiency
• Outdated bathrooms, across all six dwellings
• Unsafe gas meter locations, requiring urgent relocation
• Outbuildings in very poor condition
• Damaged fencing and dangerous paving, creating access and safety risks
• General fabric issues, including pointing and roof tiles

Alongside these physical risks, the trustees became increasingly aware, during the application process itself, that the level of weekly maintenance contribution (WMC) would need to rise significantly.

This process was handled carefully and sensitively to minimise concern for the residents and the WMC has now reached a level which will afford the Charity some real financial security whilst also remaining attainable (and considerably below market value) for current and future residents. Without substantial intervention, the trustees considered it likely that multiple systems would eventually fail, potentially causing disruption, safety issues, and unplanned emergency expenditure.

What was done

Although no grant funding was secured, The Almshouse Association offered the amount required as a loan, enabling the trustees to proceed with a comprehensive and coordinated programme of works.

The funded works included:

• renovation of the entire water supply system, both internally and externally, ensuring modern, independently isolatable infrastructure.

• installation of loft insulation across the whole property, alongside necessary re-boarding and remedial works.
• renovation of the final three bathrooms, completing the upgrade of all six dwellings after the first three bathrooms had been paid for from the Charity’s own funds.
• removal and replacement of gas meters, relocating them from unsafe positions.
• replacement of dangerous paving, significantly improving access and safety around the site.
• fire safety improvements, including a fire log book, warden training, and upgraded smoke alarms.
• asbestos treatment and fencing repairs
• works to the fabric of the building, with further pointing, roof tile repairs, and rear access path repairs scheduled for completion in spring 2026.

The trustees were fortunate to work with a contractor who not only carried out the bathroom renovations, but also identified the failing water infrastructure at an early stage and helped assemble a specialist team to address it (and other areas of the work) efficiently.

Impact for residents

The completed and ongoing works have had a clear and positive impact on residents’ daily lives. Outcomes include:

• much more sanitary, modern bathrooms
• safer gas and water infrastructure, reducing risk and anxiety

• improved insulation, leading to warmer homes and better energy efficiency

• upgraded outbuildings and external areas, improving usability and safety.

Residents have expressed gratitude for the improvements and have already noticed increased efficiency in heating and water supply. The works have delivered not only practical benefits but also greater peace of mind for residents and trustees alike.

Challenges and learning

As with any project of this scale, there were logistical challenges in coordinating works across an occupied site. However, the project has remained largely on budget, and unexpected issues were addressed collaboratively rather than becoming crises.

For the trustees, the project reinforced several key lessons:

• The importance of teamwork, communication, and collaboration
• The value of acting before systems fail, rather than responding to emergencies
• A sobering but valuable realisation that some issues had been allowed to drift over previous years, and that timely intervention prevented far more serious consequences.

Looking ahead

With the final elements of fabric and access works due for completion in Spring 2026, the almshouses are now in a far stronger position. The trustees are better equipped to plan sustainably, set realistic WMC levels, and ensure that the almshouses continue to provide safe, secure homes for older people in the local community for many years to come.

Trustees of The Almshouses of the Holy Name

Case Study: Fitzgerald Charity restoration of 14 almshouses in Seaford

When almshouse charities face major repair costs or seek to expand provision for people in need, financial support can make the difference between decline and sustainability. As part of its member services, The Almshouse Association provides grants and loans to help charities struggling with funds to maintain and develop their housing.

A £100,000 interest-free loan from The Almshouse Association enabled the Fitzgerald Charity to complete the final phase of a £1.946 million, nine-year refurbishment of 14 Grade II listed almshouses in Seaford.

Background

Fitzgerald Charity in East Sussex was founded in 1858 by John Purcell Fitzgerald, who endowed over 50 properties and land to fund almshouses built in phases between 1864 and 1893. Over time, property sales were converted into investments that supported major renovations in 1959 and 1982.

However, cost-cutting during the 1980s works led to defects, including roof and insulation failures, requiring significant remedial expenditure in the 1990s. By 2016, the trustees committed to a “back to first principles” approach — stripping each unit to its structural shell and rebuilding to modern standards while respecting the historic fabric.

The Project (2016–2025)

The refurbishment was delivered in four phases under professional supervision, addressing:

• Structural reinforcement (including wall ties in early “bungaroosh” construction)
• Full insulation and damp-proofing upgrades
• Roof and chimney restoration
• Modern services and improved layouts

Total cost: £1.946 million
Average cost per unit: c. £139,000

Despite careful financial planning and use of reserves, Phase 4 created a £52,000 shortfall. To avoid reducing specifications and compromising quality, the trustees applied for a £100,000 loan from The Almshouse Association.

Approval was granted within weeks (December 2024), providing essential assurance and enabling reinstatement of key heritage features — including a prominent four-pot chimney that restores architectural balance to the building.

Resident experience

Between 2021 and 2025, works were ongoing while residents (aged 66–93 at the outset) remained in occupation through managed decants. Despite dust, noise and disruption, not a single resident was lost during the programme. Several moved twice in order to return to improved homes – a testament to their attachment to the almshouses.

Impact of the loan

The Association’s loan:

• Prevented specification cuts
• Safeguarded heritage features
• Removed the need to consider selling a detached block
• Enabled completion of works to a consistent standard

Without this support, the trustees may have been forced into asset disposal, fundamentally altering the charity’s long-term sustainability.

Outcome

Completed in October 2025, the scheme now provides high-quality, affordable housing in central Seaford. Recent applications demonstrate strong demand, with new residents drawn from those facing homelessness via the local authority. Vacancy turnaround has averaged just one week.

More than 165 years after its foundation, the Fitzgerald Charity continues to fulfil its benefactor’s vision of providing a humane alternative to the workhouse, now with buildings restored to a standard that will serve future generations.

The £100,000 loan from The Almshouse Association was the critical final piece that ensured this ambitious and carefully executed restoration could be completed without compromise.

The loan from The Almshouse Association was crucial in enabling the Charity to complete the £1.946m restoration of 14 almshouses and continue their provision of affordable housing in the local area for people in housing need.

We would like to thank all the people and organisations who so kindly donate to The Almshouse Association and 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 2025, £1,198,500 was approved in new loans and grants totalled £50,000. 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.

posted March 2026

Case Study: Watkinson Almshouses roof restoration

When almshouse charities face major repair costs or seek to expand provision for people in need, financial support can make the difference between decline and sustainability. As part of its member services, The Almshouse Association provides grants and loans to help charities struggling with funds to maintain and develop their housing.

The Watkinson Almshouses in West Yorkshire recently benefited from this support, receiving a £25,000 loan to help fund the re-roofing of their four almshouse bungalows – essential works that would not have been possible without external assistance.

Historical Background

The four almshouses were built and endowed in the early 20th century by Emma Watkinson (1850–1923). Emma established the almshouses in memory of her parents, George and Jane Watkinson.

George Watkinson and his family were wool staplers, playing a key role in the regional textile economy by collecting and sorting fleeces and supplying raw materials to worsted manufacturers, carpet weavers, and knitting wool producers. Jane’s family were maltsters, supplying malt to local brewers. Together, the Watkinson family were part of the industrial success that shaped their community in the 19th century.

Despite the wealth generated in the region, Emma recognised that many hardworking individuals struggled to provide for themselves in old age. In response, she founded the almshouses to offer free accommodation, equipped with the modern conveniences of the time, for:

• Former employees of the Watkinson family
• Their descendants
• Others from the local parish in need

Financial evolution and challenges

In the early 20th century, the almshouses were generously endowed. Each resident even received an annual allowance of £4.20 to assist with nursing costs – a significant sum at the time (equivalent to approximately £500 today, given that £1 from that era equates to roughly £120 today).

However, as decades passed:

• Maintenance costs increased
• Building standards evolved
• The value of the original endowment diminished

Eventually, the endowment was exhausted. To ensure long-term sustainability, the Trust deed was amended to allow residents to make modest contributions toward maintenance costs.

Throughout this period, the Watkinson family has continued to oversee and care for the almshouses, maintaining Emma’s founding principles of community support and dignity in later life.

The Challenge: Essential roof replacement

By 2025, the roofs of all four bungalows required urgent replacement.

The scale and cost of the works placed significant strain on the Charity’s limited reserves. Without intervention, the condition of the buildings and the comfort and safety of residents would have been at risk.

The Solution: Almshouse Association loan support

The Almshouse Association stepped in with a £25,000 loan, enabling the Charity to proceed with the full re-roofing project.

This funding:

• Protected the structural integrity of all four properties
• Safeguarded residents from water ingress and future deterioration
• Preserved the long-term viability of the almshouses
• Ensured continued provision of quality homes for current and future beneficiaries

Impact

Thanks to The Almshouse Association’s support:

• The four almshouses now have secure, weatherproof roofs
• Residents continue to live in safe and comfortable homes
• Emma Watkinson’s original charitable vision remains alive more than a century later

This case demonstrates how targeted financial support from the Association enables small almshouse charities to address critical capital works, sustain historic housing, and continue serving vulnerable members of their communities.

Conclusion

The Watkinson Almshouses are a powerful example of enduring philanthropy. While the financial landscape has changed dramatically since the early 1900s, the underlying need for secure, affordable housing remains constant.

Through partnership with The Almshouse Association, Emma Watkinson’s legacy continues, ensuring that those she intended to help still have a safe place to call home, over 100 years on.

The loan from The Almshouse Association was crucial in enabling the Charity to restore the roofs of their almshouses and continue their provision of affordable housing in the local area for people in housing need.

We would like to thank all the people and organisations who so kindly donate to The Almshouse Association and 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 2025, £1,198,500 was approved in new loans and grants totalled £50,000. 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.

posted February 2026

CASE STUDY: The Charity of Sir Thomas and Lady Kytson

If a charity does not have sufficient funds to carry out necessary works to their almshouses or support their plan to provide more almshouses for people in need in their area, part of the service The Almshouse Association offers its member charities is financial help in the form of grants and loans.

The Almshouse Association provided the Charity of Sir Thomas and Lady Kytson in Suffolk with a £25,000 grant and £29,000 loan to support the thermal upgrade and general renovation of their three almshouses covering external doors, chimneys/fireplaces, roof void insulation, lime rendering walls, timber frame repairs, electrics, plumbing and thatching.

The Charity writes:

“Twenty years ago the Guildhall Feoffment took over administration of three charming, thatched cottages which formed part of the Tudor estate of Hengrave Hall and had been dedicated as almshouses some time probably in the 19^th century.

Our Kytson Cottages, each around 350 years old, combine historic charm with the welcome and security of traditional almshouses. A recent programme of sensitive renovation has ensured that the cottages remain not only beautiful, but warm, healthy and fit for the future.

The work at Kytson Cottages has achieved our goals of careful conservation, use of traditional skills and modern technology, and will now secure the future of our historic homes for generations to come.“

Background

Kytson Cottages relied on electric storage heaters supplemented by open fires. With thin doors, no wall insulation and one chimney in poor condition (leading to two condemned fireplaces), residents regularly reported being cold in winter despite high energy bills.

Scope of Works

The Property Committee commissioned a survey to identify ways to improve thermal efficiency and provide warmer, more comfortable homes. Carter Jonas recommended:

• Doors: Replacement with insulated, better-fitting doors
• Wall Insulation: Installation of insulation panels
• Fireplaces: Renovation and installation of stoves, including chimney adjustments
• Exterior: Removal of concrete render, application of lime render and pargetting
• Electrical: Installation of high-heat-retention (HHR) radiators and optical smoke/CO₂ detectors
• Plumbing: Removal of cold-water tanks and installation of pressurised cylinders
• Thatch: Ridge renewal planned in ~3 years

The Committee prioritised urgent works first, deferring the thatch and plumbing works for a later date. EPC modelling shows the cottages achieving a “C” rating once all the radiators are upgraded.

Listed building consent

Thurlow Architects submitted a Listed Building application, which was granted on 8 May 2025, with conditions relating to the fireplaces and pargetting.

Project approach and costs

To maximise value, individual contractors were engaged rather than adopting a turnkey solution, with Guildhall Feoffment coordinating logistics, site facilities, and health & safety. Feoffee and builder, Graham Mothersole was an invaluable source of expertise and information, providing essential guidance and contacts.

Where possible the Charity specified sustainable and natural building materials and invested in local craftspeople to provide bespoke fittings and finishes, which have preserved and enhanced the integrity of the buildings in their prominent village setting.

Estimated cost: £120,000 (or £100,000 excluding the plumbing and thatching). Pellet stoves were chosen over wood-burning stoves for safety, sustainability, and convenience.

Funding

As at 31 December 2024, Kytson Trust had available funds of circa. £70,000 (£53,000 investments, £16,000 cash) and with annual outgoings of around £15,000, this left a funding shortfall of £55,000.

Funding solutions:

• Grant of £25,000 from The Almshouse Association
• Interest-free loan of £29,000 from The Almshouse Association
• £40,000 of Kytson Trust investments realised

Completed works (by end of 2025)

• Electrical: All the internal works including new radiators, optical heat, smoke and CO₂ detectors (fully certified)
• Plastering & Insulation: Concrete render removed; lambswool and Hereklith insulation installed; lime render and pargetting completed with Heritage Officer approval

• Doors: Seven new insulated doors installed
• Fireplaces: Wood pellet stoves installed, fireplaces renovated and new hearths added.

The final cost slightly exceeded estimates by £4,000, largely due to heritage-related plastering requirements and additional insulation. Savings were made with the hearths which were donated by Mothersole Buildings and Opulence Stoves agreed to ‘donate’ the additional work required in reinstating the fireplaces.

Future work & funding

Kytson Trust reserves will be around £30,000 – 40,000 post-project. Further works (thatch and plumbing) will require rebuilding reserves through WMC increases and/or fundraising. The Almshouse Association recommended reviewing WMC levels in 2026, based on Valuation Office guidance.

Residents’ feedback

Residents are delighted with their warm, comfortable homes and take pride in the improved appearance of the cottages.

The grant and loan from The Almshouse Association was crucial in enabling the Charity to make essential repairs and improvements to ensure they continue to provide affordable housing in the local area for people in housing need.

We would like to thank all the people and organisations who so kindly donate to The Almshouse Association and 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 2025, £1,198,500 was approved in new loans and grants totalled £50,000. 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.

posted February 2026