For nearly 600 years, Wokingham United Charities has been at the forefront of helping the borough

Article by James Hastings,  June 4, 2023, in Featured, Wokingham

IT’S not known for sure who the first person was to be helped by the Wokingham United Charities.

It could have been a homeless widow driven out of her cottage by an unscrupulous landlord, or perhaps a local farmer needing repairs to his plough. But one thing is known – for nearly 600 years, Wokingham United Charities has been at the forefront of coming to the aid of people, initially in Wokingham and, for the past five years, across the whole Borough.

Today, the charity which can trace its roots back to 1451, still provides almshouses at a block of flats on Peach Street for older, vulnerable people who are unable to buy or afford rental properties in Wokingham.

While plough repairs may no longer be a major need, other requests for grants include many essential household items like white goods and beds as well as the family of a child requiring a dyslexia assessment, counselling, transport costs and funds for a mobility scooter.

Wokingham United Charities is proud to say that it continues to help local people when they may have no one else to turn to, whether it’s almshouse accommodation or from its substantial Relief in Need fund for local charities and individuals.

Amy Garstang, the charity manager who oversees the day-to-day running of the grants programme and the Westende almshouses, explained how the charity began in 1451, when John Westende gifted eight cottages in Le Peche-street, now Peach Street.

“He wanted to help the poor and needy people in Wokingham and from that humble beginning, the charity has grown. As our name suggests, Wokingham United Charities is an amalgamation of a number of Wokingham charities. The Queen Victoria House almshouses were built in 1887 and demolished in 1974 then replaced with Westende and Queen Victoria House flats which were further renovated in 1987.”

“Westende consists of two blocks of self-contained flats, 27 in all, in pleasant well maintained gardens. They are close to the shops and only a short walk from other facilities. A Monthly Maintenance Charge is payable to cover the cost of the accommodation and includes all heating and hot water charges. The MMC rate is below the Local Housing allowance level for the Borough.”

As well as the Peach Street complex, Wokingham United Charities understands that sometimes everyone needs a helping hand. That’s why its essential item grant programme is aimed at individuals or families who have found themselves in circumstances of financial hardship and are in need of an essential item.

“If you find yourself with a broken cooker and don’t have the funds available to buy a replacement, or you have moved into new accommodation and need a fridge freezer and money is tight, you may be eligible for an essential item grant,” explained Amy.

“The grants aren’t limited to white goods, but also other items or needs. We may also be able to help with transport costs, debt-related fees, school trips, counselling and other essential items or services. We review each application on its own merits. We have partnered with Citizens Advice Wokingham to provide holistic support for people who need it most. That way people can be directed to the relevant support agency and if eligible, can apply on their behalf for an essential item grant.”

Anyone inquiring about support should call 0808 278 7958 in the first instance or complete the referral form on the website. The service is available Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. Citizens Advice Wokingham can help with issues around welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment law and much more.

Wokingham United Charities is run by a small, dedicated and professional team, but it always welcomes volunteers and those who just want to show their support.

“We are so happy people are interested in getting involved with our work here at Wokingham United Charities,” said Amy.

“There are so many ways for you to help, and we truly appreciate each and every effort. By lending your support, you’ll become a valuable part of our Non-Profit and help to strengthen our operations.

“We are currently recruiting committee members and I would urge anyone who can help to check out the website. Volunteers are always needed and is one of the simplest ways to help. We want the local community to actively get involved. Could you become a trustee, volunteer – keep our social media up to date, use your financial or administration skills to help our work? Please get in touch if you have some time to spare no matter how small because Wokingham United Charities is for the people of Wokingham who are helped by the people of Wokingham.”

Perhaps in another 600 years time, an astronaut may require a grant to repair his rocket rather than a plough and perhaps homelessness will still be a part of everyday life. However, one thing you can be sure of is that whatever the need, Wokingham United Charities will still be around to do what it does best – helping the people of Wokingham.

For more details, log on to: https://wokinghamunitedcharities.org.uk/

The London Borough of Barnet was involved in the 2023 London Festival of Architecture and the Day’s & Atkinson Almshouses played a part in the celebrations this year. They held an event on Saturday 24^th June which took the form of a guided walk and talk with refreshments along the way.

“We met at the tomb of Charles Day (the ‘Day’ in Day’s and Atkinson’s) which is situated in the graveyard at St Margaret’s Church Edgware. We then moved on to the Day’s Almshouses in Stonegrove, then  Atkinson’s Almshouses and finally the housing and community project that is ‘One Stonegrove’ where we held a Q & A and enjoyed a buffet lunch.

The event attracted around 30 participants and was attended by Councillors, the Clergy, Historic England, and members of the public. Rev’d Simon Rea (Chair of the Charity) and Peter Murphy (Trustee) each gave talks and took us on a journey of the architecture of the buildings and the history of the Charity.

The weather was perfect and our residents welcomed visitors into their homes and gave very positive testimonies as to the benefits of living in an almshouse.”

Mike Seaman, Clerk To The Trustees, Day’s and Atkinson’s Almshouses

Thank you for sending in these fantastic photos Mike and well done for all your hard work.

posted 5 July 2023

Five years in the planning, Great Shelford’s £4.4M almshouse development is now complete and has welcomed its first residents.

The 21 new homes, a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units, are grouped in three curved terraces surrounding a central green. Equipped with air source heat pumps, mechanically ventilated heat recovery systems, triple glazing and high levels of insulation, the homes are designed to minimise energy consumption and keep residents’ running costs low.

“Ever since our initial public meeting in July 2018 at which we outlined the need for further affordable housing in Great Shelford, we have been working closely with villagers and both parish and district councillors to bring this project to fruition. And I would particularly like to thank the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority for their generous grant of just over £1M towards the development cost,”

Sarah Rann, Chair of the Parochial Charities trustees.

Alongside the new development the charity has planted some 250 native trees and laid out allotments, a community garden, footpaths and benches, providing enhanced public access to the 8 acres of land it owns on the northern edge of the village.

The new development brings to 53 the total number of almshouse homes managed by Great Shelford Parochial Charities, providing affordable accommodation for villagers on low incomes and in housing need.

The trustees plan to hold a formal opening later in the year.

Taken from GSVC website news: New almshouses for Great Shelford – GSVC (gspc.org.uk, Sunday February 12, 2023

posted 16 May 2023 in ARCHITECTURE, HIDDEN GEMS, LONDON, LOOK UP LONDON, SOUTH LONDON by Katie Wignall

Along Consort Road in Peckham you can admire the quaint-looking Beeston’s almshouses. As well as their charming appearance and characteristic almshouse layout, the aspect that really piqued my interest was the shield of the Girdlers’ Company.

You can spot more of these in Farringdon (featured on my Clerkenwell walk in my book!)

THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF GIRDLERS

The Girdlers’ Company have a recorded history going back to 1327 when King Edward III granted them Letters Patent. This gave them a monopoly over the trade of girdles (making belts and other metalwork) and allowed them to regulate manufacturing standards and see off competitors.

The company’s Arms – granted in 1454 – contains three gridirons, chosen because griddle-iron sounds similar to girdler. Their patron saint is Lawrence of Rome who was grilled to death(!) on a gridiron in AD258.

The church of St Lawrence Jewry by the City of London Guildhall has a gridiron weathervane and the Girdlers’ Company have been associated with that church for centuries.

The name Beeston is a nod to Cuthbert Beeston, a past Master of the Girdlers’ Company who left seven houses to the company in his will of 1582.

Originally, the bequeathed houses weren’t in Peckham, but at the south end of London Bridge. These were compulsory purchased in 1834 when the Old London Bridge (1209-1831) was being replaced by the John Rennie’s London Bridge (1831-1970).

In the 1828 map below you can see both the new and old London bridges marked across the Thames. The original almshouses were on the south approach to the Old London Bridge.

The proceeds of that sale funded a two-storey almshouse building in Peckham.

Today they’re home to 20 residents and when the occasional vacancy does appear the criteria is fairly strict, the charity stipulating that the residents shall be “poor persons in the following categories”;

• Freemen of the City of London;
• Persons who are, or have been, employed in trades akin to that of a Girdler (including workers in metals, leather, cloths and fabrics);
• Persons resident in the former administrative county of London, as constituted on 31st March 1965.

The almshouses were built in 1834, designed in a Tudor-esque style with gabled roofs at each end and hexagonal chimneys. Presumably this is a nod to their 16th century foundation and I found the overall effect visually striking and totally charming.

Peckham has a few other notable almshouses. I wrote about the former Asylum and Caroline Gardens chapel after visiting for Open House London.

There’s also more Girdlers’ Company almshouses in Choumert Road. Similar to Beeston’s, they were funded by a past Master, George Palyn in 1610 and were originally in the City before moving further into the London suburbs. You can see photos of them here. 

Article from Look up London website posted on The Almshouse Association website on 26 June 2023

by Sophie Drew for Christian News

A retired vicar in his 90s is taking to the skies to raise money for retired clergy.

Fr Robert Raikes will be parachuting from a place on his 90th birthday in a sponsored skydive, to raise money for almshouse, The College of St Barnabas, and their adjoining care home.

Fr Raikes has been a resident at the home for a number of years, and is keen to see their good work continue. The almshouse, based in Lingfield, Surrey, is of an Anglican tradition but has become home to ordained and lay residents from the spectrum of Christian backgrounds included in Churches Together in England and Wales. The facility has two chapels and continues to host daily worship. Ex-clergy staying in St Barnabas can preside over Holy Communion and all are welcome to attend any of their trice-daily services.

The nonagenarian will be jumping out at 10,000 ft, in tandem, above Maidstone and the big event is set to take place on the 15th July.

“I’ve seen members of staff and others do sponsored events to help us” Fr. Robert says “and I really thought that there must be something that I could do”.

“We cannot thank Robert enough for doing this” says Mike Herbert, College Fundraising Manager “we hope that his positive, get-up-and-go attitude will inspire others of all ages to do what they can to help”.

College of St Barnabas History: Past to Present

“What was this place before it became the College of St Barnabas?” visitors often ask. The answer is, “Nothing”! It was purpose-built in response to the vision of a remarkable man.”

The idea of forming a community of retired Anglican clergy began in the mind of Canon William Henry Cooper around 1890. While visiting on the south coast, he and a friend discovered dozens of retired priests, without any income, living in Workhouses.

He determined to do something, and set about the task of founding a new community, of which he was to become the first Warden. It was several years before Cooper secured agreement to rent a house in Dormans Park, Surrey, and the first resident was admitted in 1895.

As the number of Residents increased another house was rented and “The Homes of St Barnabas” were born. In 1977 it was accepted that the original name was inadequate. It did not reflect the collegiate nature of the community’s lifestyle, neither did it do justice to the study in which many of the Residents continued to be engaged.

So it was that the name was changed to become “The College of St Barnabas”. Since then, the development of the College has seen the substantial upgrading of the Care Wing from a ward to individual private rooms, the Cloisters to include ensuite facilities, and the addition of further rooms for residential care.

Most recently the Refectory and Common Room have been refurbished, and state-of-the-art DVD, sound and video projection facilities have been installed. The College is now furnished with modern amenities such as broadband internet connections in Residents’ rooms, and yet, in the second century of its life, retains a feeling of history and the beautiful surroundings which encouraged its founders to build here.

Today the College of St Barnabas is a residential community of retired Christians with an Anglican foundation, set in the beautiful Surrey countryside. There are good train links to central London from neighbouring Dormans railway station and we are less than an hour’s drive to the South Coast of England.

Single people and married couples are welcome. The College extends an ecumenical welcome to retired clergy and lay people from all member denominations of Churches Together in England. Day and overnight guests are catered for as are occasional Quiet Days and Retreats for individuals and groups.

Residents are encouraged to lead active, independent lives. There is a Care Wing, to which both internal and direct admission is possible and respite care is available. Our ‘Cloister’ flats have separate sitting rooms, bedrooms, and en suite facilities. There are two Chapels and the Eucharist is celebrated daily. We have three Libraries and a Common Room. Meals are served in our Refectory or taken privately. For further details or to visit:

The College of St Barnabas, Blackberry Lane, Lingfield, Surrey, RH7 6NJ
Tel: 01342 870260 Fax: 01342 871672
email: office@collegeofstbarnabas.com
website: www.st-barnabas.org.uk

posted June 2023