Posted on 12 May 2025
Funding from Hyde Charitable Trust helps our older residents stay active and connected
St Mauritius House is a vibrant ‘Over 55s’ later living scheme in Lewisham which caters for Afro-Caribbean, Asian, and other ethnic minority residents. Owned and managed by Hyde, St Mauritius House includes 37 flats, 40 residents and a beautiful garden.
Thanks to Hyde Charitable Trust’s (HCT) Evolve Fund, St Mauritius House is now running weekly keep fit classes for the residents. The classes are run by Chris from Fitness First, with an emphasis on building strength and mobility. The classes take place in the communal lounge, and when it’s a nice day, Chris runs the sessions in the garden. The sessions include stretching exercises, right through to ‘team work’ ball co-ordination activities.
Maddassar ‘Mads’ Arif, Hyde’s Partnerships and Projects Manager, said: “We wanted to run physical activities for both young people, and older people. We’ve delivered fitness classes for young people on the Pepys Estate in Lewisham, and we’re also delivering classes at St Mauritius House.
"The classes here aren’t just good for our residents’ physical wellbeing, but mental wellbeing too. Residents are coming out of their flats, and interacting with each other. It’s great to see them looking so happy.”
The classes have been so popular, that friends and family who don’t live at St Mauritius House are coming along and joining in the classes.
Chris is now looking at running the classes at other housing associations and other physical activities in green spaces – for example, gardening sessions.
Kitty Li is the Housing Scheme Officer at St Mauritius House. She’s worked at Hyde for nearly three years, previously working in our Property Services and Income teams. She’s been in her current role since October 2024, and loves working with the residents.
She said: “I love working here. And, I’ve loved seeing how popular these classes are. Not only do the classes help our residents get moving and grow in confidence, but it really helps them bond.
"Instead of going back to their flats after the classes, they stay in the common room together and chat. In fact, they enjoy spending time together so much that they have recently clubbed together and bought a darts board and snooker table for the common room.”
St Mauritius House residents, Orpah and Susannah, said about the sessions:
“We really enjoy the sessions. Not only are they really good for movement, but they encourage us to come out of our flats and meet other residents. Chris is really good – he motivates us to push ourselves out of our comfort zone – so we know we are keeping fit.”
Find out more about our specialist housing schemes.