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Almshouse Resilient Communities (ARC) for the Future

The ARC for the Future project will examine how resilience can be fostered in almshouse communities, contributing to a wider research programme on suitable living environments for an older population.

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Overview

Grounded in the context of inadequate social housing in the UK for older people, ARC for the Future will work with seven community partners who provide high-quality accommodation for older residents, and investigate the potential of the almshouse charity model as an alternative to private or local authority provision. The project has a triple perspective, focusing on social, built environment and governance resilience.


RICS Report – Almshouses: a model of community housing for an ageing population

Written by ARC researchers, Jenny Pannell and Dr Alison Pooley, the report offers the most recent, comprehensive overview of the almshouses provision in the UK. It takes a future-focused approach, exploring the distinct and valuable contribution of almshouse accommodation to housing for older people. Case studies in the UK and the Netherlands are examined.


People

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Dunhill Medical Trust

ARC Research Partners

United St Saviour’s Charity

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The Whiteley Homes Trust

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Sir Josiah Mason Trust

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Bristol Charities

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Southwark Charities

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Legacy East Almshouse Partnership

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Durham Aged Mineworkers’ Homes Association

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ARC Project Team Members

Dr Niamh Murtagh, University College London (Principal Investigator)

Niamh is a Principal Research Fellow at UCL, specialising in sustainable and resilience behaviour. An environmental psychologist by discipline, she has a particular interest in the interactions between people and their physical environments, both built and natural.

Dr Evelyn Callahan, University College London

Evelyn is a Research Fellow at UCL. They have a PhD in sociology from Brunel University London, an MSc in medical anthropology from University College London, and a BA in anthropology from the University of Connecticut. Their previous research has included various interdisciplinary, applied social sciences projects on healthcare topics, primarily on trans healthcare in the UK.

Dr Alison Pooley, University of Suffolk

Jenny Pannell, University College London

Jenny is currently Research Associate with UCL. She has carried out extensive research on housing, support and care for older people for a range of funders, and she has a special interest in the future role of the almshouse movement. Jenny was a senior housing manager with social housing providers before moving into independent research and consultancy.

Alison Benzimra, United St Saviour’s Charity

Alison is Head of Research and Influence at United St Saviour’s Charity. In her role, she coordinates various research projects with academic partners with the aim that the research findings will better inform United St Saviour's Charity's service provision for residents and improve their health and wellbeing outcomes.

Zoe Richardson, Sir Josiah Mason Trust

Zoe is the Director of Operations and Deputy CEO of SJMT (Sir Josiah Mason Trust). In her role she is responsible for all alms housing provision across the West Midlands, Care services, Young Peoples services and support operations across the organisation. Zoe has been with SJMT for nearly 4 years and comes from a senior leadership national charity background.

Lisa da Silva, The Whiteley Homes Trust
ARC Residents Advisory Group (RAG) Members

Maggie Anderson, Kim Baxter, Sid Guichard, Viv Guichard, Nick Henderson, Roger Hoare, Liz McIlduff, Pat Medina, Andy Rosholm-Olesen, and other almshouse residents.

ARC Professionals Advisory Group (PAG) Members
Jack BaldanThe Almshouse Association
Lois BeechHousing LIN
Charlotte CookWinckworth Sherwood Law
Martyn CraddockUnited St Saviour’s Charity
Sarah DavisChartered Institute of Housing
Paul GaylerChelmsford City Council
David HealeySir Josiah Mason Trust
Rachel HillThe Whiteley Homes Trust
Althea Howarth Ridgeway Associates/City of Wells Almshouses
Chris JonesErosh (Midlands)/Wyggestons Almshouse Charity
Mushtaq KhanHousing Diversity Network
Julian MinesBristol Charities
Paul MullisDurham Aged Mineworkers’ Homes Association
Nick PhillipsThe Almshouse Association
Anne TaylorThorngate Churcher Trust
Chris Wilson

Southwark Charities

ARC Supporters

The Almshouse Association

Housing LIN