Sheltered Times News and Views for Sheltered Housing residents ISSUE 2: Summer 2014
Summer sun boost for building work
The good weather we have been enjoying this summer means that external maintenance work to sheltered housing schemes is going ahead at a good pace.
Scaffolding is now up at Brunswick Court in Cranham (pictured left) ready for work to begin and work is also underway at Beehive Court in Harold Wood and Charlbury Court in Harold Hill. Part of that work will include using coloured paint for window frames and other woodwork, rather than the standard white. Meanwhile kitchens and bathrooms at Brunswick Court in Cranham and William Tansley Smith House in Hornchurch are being replaced as part of the
five-year-long Decent Homes Programme. The next contract for kitchen and bathroom replacement will be for Bards Court in Harold Hill and work is due to start at Royal Jubilee Court in Gidea Park in the autumn. All sheltered housing schemes are due to have electriccontrolled doors to the main entrances, installed by the end of March 2015, to make it easier to get in and out when carrying shopping or using wheelchairs.
Classy new kitchen
Fambridge Court Social Club Chair, Jean Freeman & Keepmoat Project Manager Dick Bessent prepare tea in the new kitchen.
Residents at Cottons Court and Fambridge Court will be able to have a classy cuppa thanks to a new communal kitchen which was officially opened in July.
Eleven cupboards, work surfaces and a new sink were provided by contractor Rixonway with Keepmoat doing the installation, painting and tiling free of charge. Fambridge Court Social Club Chair, Jean Freeman, cut the ribbon to officially open the new kitchen, with help from Keepmoat Project Manager Dick Bessent. With 80 households in the two sheltered housing schemes the communal lounge is a busy area where residents meet for a chat and cup of tea or for events organised by the social committee.
Mrs Freeman, said: “This is a lovely new kitchen which is much better than the one we had before. We do a lot of social events here so the new kitchen will be put to very good use.” Mr Bessent added: ”We were pleased to do this work as it is good to give something back to the community. The Council’s Decent Homes programme has brought us a lot of work and this is one way we can say thank you; we are sure the residents will put the new kitchen to very good and frequent use.” More information capitalprojects@havering.gov.uk 01708 434700