A mission to bring a 17th Century Hospital in Ufford, Suffolk, into the 21st Century
In 2023, Ufford Almshouses received a £75,000 loan from the Association towards the extension and refurbishment of their two almshouses.
By November 2023, as you can read in their mid-project case study, the Ufford Almshouses Refurbishment Project was in full swing with property 2a almost complete and a new roof installed.
If a charity does not have sufficient funds to carry our necessary works to their almshouses, part of the service The Almshouse Association offers its member charities is financial help in the forms of grants and loans.
Thanks to Judi Hallett, Clerk to the Non-Ecclesiastical Charites, Ufford, we are pleased to be able to bring news of the completed project and demonstrate how funds have been spent.
November 2023 to July 2024
Whilst completion of 2a took longer than anticipated (delays were a result of contractors working on other projects and difficulties with the supply of some materials), on 1st March 2024, Mrs C, a resident of the almshouses for over 20 years, successfully moved from number 2 to number 2a. This was thought to be a record short distance by the removal company!
The almshouses were refurbished sequentially, rather than at the same time and rather than move temporarily to a house further away, Mrs C opted to stay in No. 2 whilst work was being carried out to No. 2a. She then moved into the completed No. 2a whilst work was being undertaken at No. 2. Having lived in No. 2 for two decades, Mrs C was always adamant that she wanted to move back when it was completed and we had reassured her that this would be possible. Two days after living at the completed 2a, however, she changed her mind, and asked if she could stay!
According to her son, “she loved the new home so much she didn’t want to move back!”
The new home gave Mrs C a downstairs bathroom with walk in shower. She also had a dedicated downstairs bedroom and a garden further away from the road, which gave her greater privacy.
Property No. 2
The day after Mrs C moved to number 2a, demolition started in number 2.
We had made the assumption that the property was a mirror image of next door, but it soon became obvious it was not.
Measurements for kitchens and bathrooms had to be tweaked but we worked closely with our architect and builder to overcome any issues.
The work to number 2 also took a little longer than anticipated.
This meant our new resident, Mr Whitehand, had to remain in his existing accommodation longer than planned, but we are pleased to be able to confirm that he was able to successfully move in on 1st July 2024.
Funding
Much of the funding for this project 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 two of the trustees before awarding the Charity a loan of £75,000. This is to be paid back over a 10-year period, and we have already started to make the payments.
The charity trustees were also able to secure a grant from Homes England. To secure this grant we worked with Saffer Cooper Consultancy via Almshouse Consortium Ltd, experts in grant funding and project management who provide a pathway to obtaining financial support from Homes England. The grant was for approximately one third of the total cost of the project.
What will the benefits be of the project?
Now complete, the Ufford Almshouses are fit for living in the 21st Century. They are accessible and allow for ground floor living, when required. They have modern heating and are fit for purpose for at least another 30 years.
Opening Ceremony and Open House Afternoon
On 26th June 2024, we held an Opening Ceremony and Open House Afternoon inviting everyone involved with the project, retired trustees and their relatives and our residents. Our newest resident, Mr Whitehand, cut the ribbon and we all enjoyed cake and bubbles.
We then welcomed over 80 visitors from the village through the door to view the refurbishments.
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.
To find out more, please click here