News from the Rural Housing Enabler

News from the Rural Housing Enabler

Yesterday CCB staff settled into our new offices in Swallowfield and happy to have views of rural Berkshire from our windows.  

No doubt you will all have already noted our new address at Wyvols Court, Swallowfield, RG7 1WY.  Please note the mass email I sent to all my contacts was meant to be a test and ended up going out with a few notable errors.  Apologies to all of my contacts, do double check that you have the correct information.  Our postcode is RG7 1WY not 1WHY, which at least made us all laugh when we saw the error.  In the throes and chaos of our move, we may indeed have been asking ourselves 'Why?'

The main reason I am writing is because my mass email did elicit a number of responses.  Based on the number of 'undeliverable' messages I received I have been able to clean-up what is now a 10 year old contact list.  I even made contact with someone who is coincidentally leaving a long term post today, so it was good timing to catch them before they go, wish them well and hope to cross paths in their new endeavour.

But for me the most important response I had was from a Trustee at the Wokingham Area Housing Society, Eric Davies,  who was prompted by my email to send me an update on their very exciting housing project.

I first made the acquaintance of Eric and some of his fellow Trustees about 5 years ago.  Eric contacted me to ask for some advice on development options for some out of date retirement homes that the WAHS ran for the good of the community.  I had no idea an organisation like WAHS existed in Berkshire and was thrilled to make their acquaintance.

Apart from some sign-posting to the appropriate contacts I was not able to provide them with much support. However I am extremely pleased to report that 5 years on WAHS having partnered with Housing Solutions (one of the long-term supporters of the CCB Rural Housing Project), and they have now got the builders on site for their major redevelopment project.  The result of which will be 24 new affordable single bedroom flats reserved for people aged 55 and over who wish to remain independent.  The homes will be ready for occupation in Spring 2016.

Eric reports to me in his email that:

"Without the help of outside contributors like yourself we would not have been able to undertake such a project and we hope that in another 60 years or so somebody will say something about another "hidden gem" in Finchampstead. "

Well done to both WAHS and Housing Solutions.  It is always nice to report on a good news housing story for a change!  Do visit the WAHS website for more information at:  http://www.wahs.co.uk/#!/home