On Friday 30 August Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Jackie Taylor, visited an extra care scheme in Tipton to mark Starts at Home Day.
Starts at Home Day is an awareness raising initiative, led by the National Housing Federation (The NHF) which celebrates the positive impact of supported housing on our communities across the country and shines a light on the vital work of the sector.
To coincide with Starts at Home Day 2024, the NHF are calling on the new UK Government to provide a plan and long-term funding for supported housing including a commitment to deliver an extra 167,000 supported homes by 2040.
To mark Starts at Home Day this year, housing and care provider GreenSquareAccord (GSA) invited Councillor Taylor to visit Swallow Fields which is an extra care scheme located in Tipton.
During her visit to Swallow Fields, Councillor Taylor was given a tour of the building by Deputy Manager Karen Gibson and met GSA colleagues who work in the scheme. She also heard first hand from the care workers about some of the challenges that the supported housing sector is facing and how rewarding working at Swallow Fields can be.
Councillor Taylor said: “It’s vital that we recognise the amazing work extra care schemes do for their residents and the wider community.
“Having your own privacy and independence but with access to services and activities offers an important choice to people as they get older.”
Councillor Taylor also had the opportunity to meet some of the residents in Swallow Fields and hear about their experiences of living at the scheme.
While retaining their own privacy in self-contained accommodation, Swallow Fields residents can also become active parts of the scheme’s community by using the extensive services or participating in a range of activities at the scheme.
One of the GSA customers Councillor Taylor met was John who regularly organises social activities such as Bingo, coffee mornings and games nights for his neighbours.
John , who lives at Swallow Fields said: “It was lovely to have a visit from Jackie. We had a good laugh over a cup of tea and ate some delicious cakes. It’s nice to know that someone is taking an interest in places like Swallow Fields.”
Built in 2008 beside the Birmingham Canal Swallow Fields provides 62 two-bedroom apartments for people aged over 55. Swallow Fields offers a diverse range of services, from providing self-contained homes to support and care to residents when required.
Deputy Manager at Swallow Fields Karen Gibson said: “It was a pleasure to host Councillor Taylor at Swallow Fields and we thank her for being so generous with her time.
“It’s important that as an organisation we support Starts at Home Day, to celebrate supported housing and to raise awareness that good quality supported housing is needed now more than ever.”
You can find out more about the care and support services GSA provide here
Find out more about the NHF’s Starts at Home Day.
