Happy Birthday Lench’s Trust!
This year, in March 2025, we celebrated a significant milestone; our 500th year anniversary!
This Founder’s Day we had the pleasure of guest speaker, Professor Carl Chinn MBE. Carl has spent months researching the origins of the Trust and gave an insight into life in Tudor Birmingham, including piecing together the life of William Lench, and our original trustees, and our importance in the city of many generations. Don’t worry if you missed out, our newly released book “Lench’s Trust: 500 Years of Charitable Contribution to Birmingham” will cover everything Carl Chinn taught us along with new history to explore, all of you will receive a free copy of the book at our Residents conference in July.
Dominic and Laura took some time to thank our sponsors for their generosity. We were happy to share that we have now raised over 17 thousand pounds, we have earmarked this funding for items that you have asked for in particular with a focus on our outdoor spaces as we approach the summer (more information on page 9)
Residents and staff all came together to enjoy the day with music, plenty of food and some dancing! The day was rounded off with a slice of specially made cake foe the event highlighting our 500 years with a tribute to our Bees & Famous Tree.
Thank you to everyone that attended, and we look forward to celebrating our 500th year together with many more fun things planned throughout the year!
Wednesday 26th March, Lench’s Trust, the oldest charity in Birmingham celebrated its 500 years at The Old Crown, the oldest pub in Birmingham. There was no better place to honour our legacy!
Thank you to everyone that attended our 500th Year celebrations it was wonderful to have so many people come together to celebrate not just Lench's Trust history but the Birmingham community as a whole
It was a delight to hear stories from our residents, past and present, and about what the Trust means to them.
- A quote from one of our residents that says it all!
We would like to share a few more resident extracts with you:
“Staff who remember my name and check in without intrusion, neighbours who share friendly greetings in passing, and the unspoken assurance that support is always within reach this is what turns bricks and mortar into a sanctuary.”
“During covid, in my opinion, as a result of the actions taken by the Trust, a lot of lives were saved, whilst this was a difficult time for all of us, everything was done to ensure the residents needs were met, frommeals being delivered, shopping of essentials arranged to refuse from the apartments left outside the doors and collected by staff.”
“I am grateful to Lench’s Trust for supporting me and enabling me to have a lovely new home and feel safe. I enjoy mixing with other residents and join in activities with residents who live at Tanner’s Close. I support activities for other residents and feel my confidence growing. I feel as though a weight has been lifted off me and my anxiety has reduced.”
“I love living at William Lench, not only because I have my independence, but it is a community. The residents help each other, and I can choose when I want to socialise.”
“Since I have been living at Lench's Close I have lost count of the number of fellow residents I have met who have told me that although they arrived at Lench's door needing help:- each having a sad story to tell - whether through bereavement of a loved one, a sudden decline in their own health or having encountered another of life's nasty little surprises. They have been helped and supported by Lench's trust through
these difficult times and given the chance to rebuild their lives and live out their remaining years with some level of dignity and an increasing sense of hope.”
“When I first came to William Lench Court, I immediately liked the entrance hall - the curves not only provide structural soundness but it is now known that these curves and extensive glass as well as the airiness and space create a sense of wellbeing, calm and interaction with the environment. The nearness of the gardens as well as the lighting and the sofas also add to this sense.”
“My mom says she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else”
“We could not believe how privileged and fortunate we are to live in this wonderful environment with all of the excellent facilities and support that are available. The inside and the outside of the building are beautifully maintained. We have easily made friends and already feel and part of the Lench’s family. We feel safe and protected. It is great to be a part of this amazing community. It is in no small part due to the staffs commitment to looking after us.”
“My first experience of Lench's Trust as an organisation was during a brief chat with Annemarie at the temporary accommodation the NHS had stuck me in, and itstruck me immediatelyat howhelpful and caring Annemarie and how it was obvious that Lench's trust really valued about its residents.”
“My mom and I would just like to thank every single member of staff for all being so kind and working so hard despite I’m sure many people not fully appreciating what the trust offers in the way of safety, security, care and the reassurance to families that our loved ones are safe.”
“Lench’s Trust didn’t just offer me a flat—it welcomed me to a community that refuses to let anyone feel alone. The accessible design of our housing means I can navigate my space with dignity, but far more transformative has been the culture of belonging here.”
“Lench’s Trust hasn’t just accommodated my housing needs; it’s amplified my ability to continue with social contribution. For that, I’ll forever be grateful.”
“When the time approached for me to move into William Lench Court, I did have a moment of thinking have I done the right thing, but I was made to feel very welcome and quickly made friends. I soon realised that I had everything I needed here, including the freedom to come and go as I pleased. It was most definitely not a care home, but I was among people who cared. I was safe and secure with people there is I needed them.”
“Giving support and care to someone when they are in relatively good health isn’t easy but its more pleasant, the mark of a good team is in the consistency of that high level of care when the going gets tough, and the team at William Lench Court certainly confirmed that.”
These are just a few powerful extracts residents shared with us on the day, if you would like to ready the full speeches then please visit the Lench’s Trust website for more.
Following on from residents’ feedback with Trustees, the decision was made to introduce quarterly resident meetings with the Senior Management Team at each Scheme The hope is that these meetings will provide residents with the opportunity to be listened to on a Scheme and individual basis. Residents have been able to ask questions and given feedback, either immediately or in follow up meetings/ correspondence. Should residents require one to one meeting with the Senior Managers, or with an individual Senior Manager, this can also be requested at this time.
Initial meetings have taken place at each scheme, and they have been received very positively, with good conversations between residents and staff.
Future meeting process –
▪ SMT to walk the scheme @ 10am
▪ Main meeting @ 11am
▪ Individual discussions – These can be arranged for before or after the main meeting. Please book these in advance with your Scheme Manager
Future meeting dates for 2025
▪ 09 April - Tanners Close
▪ 14 May - William Lench Court
▪ 10 June - Lench’s Close
▪ 09 July - Tanners Close
▪ 05 August - William Lench Court
▪ 01 September - Lench’s Close
▪ 08 October - Tanners Close
▪ 12 November - Willima Lench Close
▪ 10 December - Lench’s Close
It has been a year since launching the new-look Lench’s Trust website and during that time we have expanded and improved the website services One such feature that you may not be aware of is the “Residents’Area” which you will be able to find on the main navigation bar on the Lenchs-trust.co.uk
Currently in the “Residents’Area” you can expect to find items such as -
Lench’s Trust news
Weekly scheme activities
Upcoming events and newsletters
However, we are looking to improve this section of the website and ask for your ideas on how you can make the most of your resident area.
Share your stories, special events, activity clubs, etc.
Knit & natter
Gardening Club
There is also a new page on our website called “Our 500thYear”. Here you can keep up to date on what’s taking place throughout the year to celebrate our 500th anniversary.
Do you have social media?
Get a fact on Lench’s Trust every day of the year!
Be sure to follow us on:
Lench’s Trust
Lench’s Trust
@Lenchs_trust
@lenchstrust.bsky.social
If you post about Lench’s Trust and our 500th year, please remember to use the following hashtags: #Lenchs500 #Brumsoldestcharity #halfamilleniumsworthofhistory
Profurn
For our 500th Year we have been working hard trying to get sponsorships on areas that are important to residents!
Currently we have had £17.2k in sponsorships and would like to thank our sponsors for their contributions, playing a part in Lench’s Trust history. Based on the money so far this is what we are planning, based on resident feedback:
Lench’s Close
Some of the money will go towards the flower display for Moseley in Bloom at the end of June.
The Trust will use the funds to provide new Aluminium furniture, in the way of benches/tables and chairs for the gardens – in time for the Spring and Summer months.
Tanner’s Close
The Trust will use the funds to provide new Aluminium furniture, in the way of benches/tables and chairs for the gardens. Marion’s Bench will be funded by one of our sponsor And there will be a 32nd Anniversary party in September to celebrate anniversary of the Scheme opening.
William Lench Court
Some of the funds will go to costs relating to the Café Refurb. Along with being used to provide the much needed and Greenhouse for the Gardening Club.
That’s not all, we have not just had the promise of money; we have also had the promise of time from the below businesses, they will help bring a project to life at each of our Schemes, so please get thinking of some project ideas Scheme Manager know!
There has been schedules of works provided at each Scheme for our Gardening team, so as residents you can see where the team are and when you can expect them to be at your Scheme.
Lench’s Trust is committed to maintaining its properties to a high standard, providing a safe community for residents to live in. When a repair request is submitted, they will fall into a category based on its severity.
We also carry out enhancements and home improvements for residents whenever time permits and within limitations. These are logged in the usual way, but they do fall out of our repair’s obligations and timescales, therefore you will need patience when requesting such jobs, however, we will try our best to accommodate when and where possible.
The below chart shows examples of repairs in their category with response timescales; however, this is not an exhaustive list and is not limited to the examples you see here: (note that response timescales mean we will mitigate the repair eg provide heaters if heating is not work).
Emergency Repairs- 4 hours
A repair is an emergency when there is a danger to the health or risk to the safety of the resident/ visitors or serious damage to the building.
Gas Leaks
Property insecure
Blocked and overflowing foul drains
Major flooding
Total power failure
Water supply failure
Complete heating failure in the Winter
Routine Repairs- 28 days
A repair is considered routine where there is no immediate risk to residents and by waiting a short time, will pose no major damage.
Dripping taps
Failure of shared lighting
Electrical sockets
Urgent Repairs- 7 days
A repair is considered urgent if it is materially affecting the comfort and convenience of the residents.
Roofing damage – where there is a leak or imminent cause of danger
Partial heating failure
Not hot water
Broken windows
Leaking radiators
Lighting internally
Rechargeable Repairs
A repair is considered rechargeable where a repair is resulting from the action or inaction either wilful or accidental of a resident, leaseholder or persons they have responsibility for (such as visitors or relatives or pets).
Enhancements/ home improvements
Resident damage
Deliberate damage e.g. vandalism
Accidental damage e.g. flood/fire
Unauthorised or poorly executed alterations
Continual pest control visits due to nonco-operation
Pet damage
Resident neglect
• Replacing light bulbs • Putting up shelfing • Moving furniture
If you would like to see previous TSM survey results; please ask your Scheme Manager for a copy or visit Lenchs-trust.co.uk/tsm-report
TSM’s May 2025
As a small provider of social housing (under 1000 properties), we are committed to surveying our residents every two years.
The previous process worked well and so we will continue in that way:
May 2025 - TSM surveys will be posted to you along with a letter In June 2025, Michelle will visit each scheme to assist anyone who may require help with the survey, the dates are below, please update your diaries!
▪ 10 June – Lench’s Close
▪ 11 June- William Lench Court
▪ 12 June- Tanners Close
What is a complaint?
Michelle will be visiting each Scheme to talk about our new Complaints Policy and procedures, asking the question- “What is a complaint?”
A copy of the policy can be found on our website Lenchs-trust.co.uk/publications and in your communal activity room. You can also request an individual copy from your Scheme Manager.
Dates of Michelle’s visit will be organised with each Scheme Manager and these meetings will be advertised at your Scheme.
Prof. Carl Chinn MBE has been invited to join us for the Resident’s conference where we be releasing the new book to our residents, all of which will be signed by Carl Chinn, and he will be around for a Q & A session!
If you have any questions you would like to ask Carl for the Q & A then please leave them with your Scheme Manager
We will collate all your questions together and send to Carl in advance so he can do his very best to answer all your questions!
Photo opportunities will be available with Carl on the day, and these will be distributed to residents shortly afterwards!
I had the chance to sit down with Margaret Witty, resident at Tanner’s Close where she shared with us her amazing story.
Margaret Witty has had quite a full life. Her family moved around a lot when she was growing up, which meant she often felt a bit lonely as a child. Because of that, she spent a lot of time out and about with her parents. One of her early loves was the theatre something she absolutely adored. Living in Wolverhampton, her family would often go to the Grand Theatre. What fascinated her was how the theatre would have one show playing one week while rehearsing the next week’s show behind the scenes.
Music was a big part of her childhood too. Her mum could play piano by ear, which Margaret always thought was amazing she’s never met anyone else who could do it quite like her. Her dad didn’t play, but he loved listening to Gilbert and Sullivan records, which were popular at the time. Often, he’d put on a record and her mum would play along on the piano. Margaret even had piano lessons herself for a while.
She went to school in Bilston, and had to pass an exam to get in. She really enjoyed school especially art. She was always drawing, mostly houses, and at one point even thought about becoming an architect. But when she found out it would take seven years of study, she quickly changed her mind! She was also into gymnastics and netball really, anything active or game-related, she was all in.
Things changed when her mum became unwell and had to go to a private mental hospital in Northampton. Back then, the treatment for depression was shock therapy. It was a difficult time, but something unexpected came out of it. While visiting, Margaret found out there was a new school being built at the hospital to train occupational therapists. She chatted with a few of the students and just had a feeling this was what she wanted to do.
At the time, occupational therapy was still quite new and focused a lot on crafts things like weaving, basket-making, and glove-making. But Margaret was only 18, and you had to be 19 to start the training. Not wanting to waste a year, she looked into further education and ended up at a college in Bilston, where they put together a full year’s course for her, covering all the skills she’d need.
Once she turned 19, she was able to apply for the occupational therapy school. The first two years focused on mental health, and the second two on physical therapy. She admitted she wasn’t naturally drawn to psychiatry, but she stuck with it. Some of the patient experiences were intense. While some were doing well enough to play tennis
in the courtyard, others were only seen to once a month. Margaret remembered how, during a new moon, some patients would become very unsettled and had to be placed in padded rooms to keep them safe. But there were good moments too like putting on shows for the patients, which felt really rewarding.
When it came time to choose a hospital to work in, Margaret decided to go big and applied to St Thomas’s Hospital in London. She got in and she loved it. London was exciting, and even though the accommodation wasn’t great, the experience made up for it. She stayed with medical students and even attended some of their lectures. She was one of the few who didn’t faint during operations—she actually found them fascinating and often requested to watch. The surgeons were kind and explained what they were doing, which she really appreciated.
After finishing her training and passing her exams, she decided to return to Wolverhampton to be with her parents for a while. She landed her first proper job at the Royal Hospital there. From that point on, she moved between hospitals, gaining experience and eventually meeting the man who would become her husband. She enjoyed working in different departments, meeting with consultants and tracking patients’ progress. Over time, she found she especially loved working with older people and eventually focused on that completely. Margaret ended up working in occupational therapy for 20 years. Even after she retired, she missed it. Helping people had meant so much to her it was more than just a job, it was something she truly loved doing.
