Almshouse Stories | The Almshouse Association

Advocating for fair housing funding

On 3 December 2025, Nick Phillips, CEO of The Almshouse Association, attended the AGM and APPG on Housing and Care for Older People at the House of Lords.

The meeting underlined a growing shortage of suitable housing for older people across the UK and stressed that any National Housing Strategy must include targeted funding and planning measures to enable much-needed development, particularly of affordable homes for older residents.

Speaking on behalf of The Almshouse Association and the newly formed Charity Housing Alliance, Nick called for fair access to Homes England and Section 106 funding. He emphasised that many small charities and community-led housing providers are currently excluded from these opportunities simply because of their size, despite their vital role in meeting local housing need.

posted 4 December 2025

Historic Sherborne almshouse artwork sells for £5.2m to secure its future

BBC News and several other outlets have been reporting that an almshouse charity discovered one of its artworks is valued at £3.5m, which has now sold for £5.2m.

St John’s Almshouse in Sherborn, Dorset, a Grade I listed almshouse, with its history closely entwined with Sherborne Abbey and reaching back to the time of King Stephen, is now facing the painful necessity of parting with “a piece of the family silver”: a 15th-century painting of great historic value. The buildings, though cherished, have become financially unsustainable to maintain, placing their very status as functioning almshouses under real threat, with residents losing their homes.

Nick Phillips, CEO of The Almshouse Association, spoke with bittersweet clarity about the decision:

“It is profoundly sad that such a wonderful work of art must be sold. Yet these almshouses have offered refuge and dignity to people in need since the 11th century. They are not only part of our national heritage, but they also remain living, life-enhancing homes for some of the 36,000 residents we support across the UK. Unlike many historic buildings, almshouses are not museums; they are places of safety, warmth, and belonging for people in housing need. The cost of sustaining Grade I listed buildings is immense, but the cost of losing their purpose after centuries is far greater. Without this sale, these historic almshouses could cease to operate as homes, becoming a museum piece or private dwelling. The funds raised will enable the charity to build six new almshouses for local people facing housing hardship, ensuring that the spirit and purpose of this remarkable site endures.”

posted 3 December 2025, updated 4 December

Charitable Housing Leaders and Parliamentarians unite to tackle the UK housing crisis

November 2025: Charity leaders and parliamentarians convened in Westminster to explore how a more coordinated and collaborative approach can help address the UK’s escalating housing challenges. Bringing together representatives from across the charitable housing sector, the discussion centred on strengthening collaboration, enhancing recognition, and securing the support needed for charities to continue their vital work.

Key themes included the importance of ensuring that smaller housing charities operate within a fair and proportionate regulatory framework, as well as the need for a broader understanding of the sector’s unique contribution to community-led, affordable housing solutions.

Organised by The Almshouse Association and chaired by housing advocate Lord Best, the roundtable signals the start of a new chapter of partnership between charitable housing providers, policymakers, and regulators – strengthening the sector’s role in delivering homes where they are needed most.

“It is vital that we collectively maximise the opportunities in the charity sector to build more quality affordable homes. The winners, when we get this right, will be residents, communities and the state. Bringing together leaders from across the charity housing sector was a vital first step as we enter a new chapter of collaboration. Together, we will raise the profile of the sector and ensure its contributions are recognised, valued, and supported.” Nick Phillips

posted 27 November 2025

A cherished legacy

Our special Christmas fund that inspires 1000s of smiles – year after year

For more than 70 years, our Christmas legacy fund has brought warmth and joy to older almshouse residents across the country. Its origins trace back to the remarkable generosity of Major Alfred Ernest Allnatt, a successful businessman, philanthropist and long-standing friend of our founding General Secretary, Leonard Hackett.

Major Allnatt left a special Christmas legacy to ensure that almshouse residents aged 90 and over would receive a personalised Christmas gift each year. He asked that his involvement remain a secret until his passing in 1969 but his kindness has continued to shine every Christmas.

Thanks to his thoughtful gift and the careful stewardship of The Almshouse Association, this tradition still flourishes today. Each Christmas, nonagenarian residents receive a small gift voucher, a gesture that brings delight, dignity, and connection during the festive season. Last year alone, we sent out 693 vouchers, and we are often touched to receive photographs of residents proudly holding their Christmas gifts, which we share in our Gazette and on our website. This year, the number has grown to 815!

This enduring act of generosity is a powerful reminder of how one gift can touch countless lives.

Helping this tradition live on

As residents are living longer, and as demand grows, we now face increasing pressure to maintain this treasured tradition. The value of the vouchers has already had to be reduced to £15, and the Association currently meets an annual shortfall to keep the fund going.

To ensure this wonderful legacy continues for future generations, we warmly invite those who believe in the spirit of community, compassion and neighbourliness to support the Christmas Fund. Every contribution, large or small, directly helps us continue delivering a moment of joy to residents who have reached this special milestone age.

Your support will help keep Major Allnatt’s legacy alive spreading smiles each Christmas and honouring the values that define almshouses across the country.

If you would like to help sustain this tradition, please consider supporting the Christmas Fund today by contacting Almshousesupport@almshouses.org

posted 3 December 2025

105 Years Young – May Gilbert

Eventide Homes almshouse resident celebrates an incredible birthday milestone

Warmest birthday congratulations go to May Gilbert, a resident of Eventide Homes in Bournemouth, who celebrated her 105th birthday on 26 November 2025.

It was a truly special occasion, marked with a celebratory party at the Miramar Hotel in Bournemouth. May was delighted to honour such a remarkable milestone with her friends and family, celebrating both her long life and the strong community spirit that defines Eventide Homes.

May has been part of the Eventide Homes community for 33 years, during which time she has remained a well-known and much-valued resident.

May is pictured below with her granddaughter, Kim.

posted 2 December 2025

Building for the future: four new almshouses in Ottery St. Mary

How The Almshouse Association’s £100,000 loan enabled Ottery Feoffee Charity’s most ambitious development in decades.

Ottery Feoffee Charity is a long-standing almshouse charity serving the parish of Ottery St. Mary, Devon, with origins tracing back to 1440 when local benefactor John Lawrence gifted land and housing for the support of elderly parishioners.

Over the centuries the Charity has continued to provide accommodation for those in need, expanding and rebuilding its sites through the contributions of figures such as Robert Hone, William Sherman and Henry Beaumont. As of 2025, the Charity manages 22 homes across three sites, offering secure, affordable accommodation to both individuals and couples.

In recent years, the trustees identified an urgent need to increase the availability of almshouse housing in response to a growing list of applicants. The Charity owned a plot previously occupied by a second-hand portable classroom, acquired in the 1970s for community use, which had since become outdated and underused. After careful consideration, the trustees concluded that redeveloping this land into new almshouse accommodation would provide far greater long-term benefit to local people.

The Almshouse Association played a central role in enabling this vision. In 2024, the Association awarded Ottery Feoffee Charity a £100,000 interest-free loan over ten years, providing essential financial support toward the construction of a new block of four one-bedroom almshouse flats on the site. This contribution formed a cornerstone of the project’s funding package and gave the Charity the confidence and capacity to proceed with what is its most ambitious building project in decades.

Their interim report on the build outlines the background to the development, the steps taken to bring the project forward, the challenges encountered, and the progress achieved to date, highlighting the significant impact that The Almshouse Association’s support has had in helping the Charity expand its provision for the community it has served for nearly six centuries.

The Charity’s report can be access by clicking below:

Ottery Feoffee Charity Feoffee Rise Report 2025 Download

Did you know?

If a charity does not have sufficient funds to carry out necessary works to their almshouses, part of the service The Almshouse Association offers its member charities is financial help in the form of grants and loans. We are most grateful to 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 2024, £813,667 was approved in new loans and grants totalled £60,000. 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 26 November 2025

Kendal Almshouse Charity unveils two new eco-homes

Plaque unveiling at Kendal Almshouse Charity, which created two new, state-of-the-art homes for vulnerable people in South Cumbria, signalling a new era in social housing in the region.

Residents have now moved into the new almshouses. Each property is eco-friendly and highly energy efficient, with each comprising one bedroom, a bathroom and open-plan living, kitchen and dining area. The homes are built to high thermal efficiency standards and feature air-source heating and solar panels to generate electricity.

Kendal Almshouse Charity saw the potential to build two new homes on the site of a single 1950s dwelling which had been in trust and for the occupation of over-55s with strong local connections. This site, on Romney Road and near the Kendal War Memorial, benefits from easy access to the town centre while also being in a quiet neighbourhood surrounded by trees and wildlife.

Back in 2019, the trustees of Kendal Almshouse Charity began exploring options for the 1950s bungalow, known as Romleigh, when it became vacant. The trustees, in conjunction with H&H Land and Estates, explored various options in conjunction with leading specialists in the social housing sector. Ultimately, the most cost-effective and modern solution was to demolish the existing bungalow and develop two state-of-the-art one-bedroom bungalows on the site.

No building project is ever without its challenges and various obstacles such as the Covid pandemic, global events and escalating inflation all contributed to the equation! The work is now fully complete, and the first residents have moved in.

_{Kendal Almshouse Charity with their Almshouse Association Innovation for Living Award}

Commenting on the project, Kendal Almshouses Chair Peter Ducksbury said,

“I am delighted we have created two beautiful new homes in Kendal for local people aged 55 or over who are in need. We are very proud of these beautiful new homes which bring our total number of houses to 42. Each property – old or new – is individual in its design and location. Our residents are our first priority and we aim to support them well through building quality new homes such as these or maintaining existing properties to the best of our ability.

“Our retained managing agents are H&H Land & Estates, who helped steer the building project through the many stages of concept, planning, design, development and fit-out.

“Our new homes have been made possible by funding awarded through the Community Led Homes Fund to assist with pre-development costs, including preparing tender documents and applying to Homes England for a grant under their Affordable Homes Programme. Grant funding was also secured from Homes England and the South Lakeland District Council (now Westmorland & Furness Council), as well as a loan and through Kendal Almshouses’ own reserves.”

Building work was awarded to Fylde Joinery & Building Services Ltd.

posted 26 November 2025

St John’s launches £5m expansion of almshouse provision in Bath

St John’s Foundation invests £5million into upgrading and creating new affordable housing for older people in Bath.

St John’s Foundation is investing £5 million over the next three years to create new almshouses and refurbish existing ones, building on its long-standing mission to support older adults. The project will see up to 15 new safe and affordable homes made available for people aged 65 and over who are facing financial hardship, ensuring they have both a home and a supportive community to live in.

Once complete, St John’s will provide up to 109 almshouses, placing it among the top 2% of providers nationally. The project underlines the vital role that charities can play in their communities in response to today’s housing crisis.

_{Almshouse concept. Credit: St John’s Foundation}

“This is one of the most important and exciting projects in our history. We know how much of a difference almshouses make – not just by providing affordable housing, but by creating a community of friendship and support that reduces loneliness and gives people a stronger sense of belonging and purpose. Older people are at the heart of everything we do, and this investment means we will be able to welcome more people into our community and give them the security of a safe home.”
Catharine Brown, Chief Executive of St John’s Foundation

The new development comes at a time when Bath faces a severe housing challenge. House prices in Bath and North East Somerset are over 13 times the average salary, making it one of the least affordable places to live in the UK. There is less social housing available in BaNES compared to the national average, with more households in temporary accommodation than at any point in the last 20 years. At the same time, the number of people aged 65+ is expected to grow by 15% by 2028. Against this backdrop, St John’s commitment will provide a vital lifeline – safe, affordable homes, built around community and connection.

“St John’s Foundation has always played a vital role in our city, and this new investment will make a real difference to older people here in Bath, especially at a time when housing is such a challenge here. Creating more almshouses means more people will have the security of an affordable home as well as the support of a strong community. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this will have for generations to come.”
Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath

The £5million investment also includes improvement works at St John’s Combe Park almshouses, helping to modernise and future-proof these homes so current residents can enjoy warm, efficient and comfortable living spaces.

As part of this major investment, St John’s will be relocating its headquarters from Chapel Court to another of its buildings. 1 Queen Square will now host the offices for the charity, alongside clients of the House of St John’s, a co-working and events space which is operated as part of the charity’s trading company. The space which will continue to offer Bath a unique place to connect, work and celebrate with purpose.

The charity expects the new almshouses to be completed by 2027, subject to planning approval.

About St John’s Foundation
For over 850 years, St John’s Foundation has been changing people’s lives for good. As one of the UK’s oldest charities, it proudly serves Bath and the surrounding area.
At the heart of its work is an almshouse community, where housing is provided for older adults in need. Alongside this, St John’s runs outreach services that help older adults in Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES) live independently for longer. Drawing on centuries of expertise and resources, St John’s now supports even more people in the community by offering direct help to individuals of all ages facing financial crisis.
The charity also works to reduce the Key Stage 2 education attainment gap in the BaNES area, which is the widest in the country. It addresses this by providing specialist support to the children who need it most. Every aspect of St John’s work is grounded in its values of trust, kindness, and courage, and guided by its purpose: to change lives. For good. It is a long-term strategy, but an unwavering one, as demonstrated by more than eight centuries of service.

posted 26 November 2025

Lord-Lieutenant visits Association’s new Windsor office

His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant visits The Almshouse Association’s new Windsor offices: A celebration of heritage and member community

On a crisp November morning, His Majesty’s Lord‑Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire, Andrew Try, Esq., DL, visited our newly opened offices – Leonard Hackett House, at 19-21 Victoria Street, Windsor. He also toured the ‘Keep’, our secondary office space, leased to support the operations of the new premises.

His Lordship was particularly impressed by the almshouse movement timeline, a central design feature which will adorn the office walls. The wall displays will be a graphical celebration of the history of this enduring community-led housing model, featuring photographs, archival images, and a detailed UK map of almshouse locations for visitors to view and admire.

There will also be a Wall of Thanks dedicated to all our supporters who have contributed in some way over the past 80 years.

Throughout the visit, he commended the office’s thoughtful architectural design, highlighting its seamless integration of modern functionality with historical character. The tour underscored the innovative vision of the new workspace, which not only honours the organisation’s heritage but also serves as a dynamic hub where members can connect, collaborate, and engage with one another.

CEO of The Almshouse Association commented,

“The Chair, myself and the staff of The Almshouse Association were delighted to welcome the Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire to our new offices in Windsor. After more than 50 years in Wokingham, a generous gift and legacy from former General Secretary Leonard Hackett enabled the Association to sell its small, outdated premises and relocate to a modern office in the heart of Windsor—just a short walk from Windsor Castle and our Patron, His Majesty King Charles.

During his visit, Andrew Try, the Lord-Lieutenant for Windsor and Berkshire, expressed his admiration for the work of the Association and its members, and kindly introduced us to several local charities with shared interests.”

posted 24 November 2025

_{Leonard Hackett with Mrs Hobbs at our old Billingbear offices in Wokingham}

Our new office in Windsor, Berkshire, Leonard Hackett House, honour the late Leonard Hackett, the Association’s first General Secretary, who generously left his house and attached offices to The Almshouse Association in his Will.

Celebrating a Century

Eileen Terry turns 100!

Isleworth & Houslow Almshouse Charity were thrilled to celebrate a truly remarkable milestone recently—their beloved resident, Eileen Terry, turned 100 years old on Tuesday, 28 October 2025!

To mark this special occasion, they organised a surprise birthday party in her honour. The celebration was attended by over 30 guests, including the Mayor of Hounslow, who joined them in recognising Eileen’s incredible milestone. The room was filled with laughter, heartfelt wishes, and shared memories as friends, family, and fellow residents came together to celebrate her century of life.

Eileen has been part of the Tolson House community since 2012, and her presence has enriched the lives of everyone around her. It was a joy to mark this extraordinary moment and to show her just how cherished she is.

Here’s to Eileen—a remarkable resident and a wonderful part of our community!