A life changing move

For 17 years, Carol called her first floor flat at Victoria Road, one of our later living schemes, home.

Carol suffers with a bone disease and over time her health started to decline. As a result, everyday tasks including going outside became increasingly difficult.

With no lift in the building, Carol found herself confined indoors, withdrawn, isolated and struggling both physically and mentally.

Victoria Road, until recently, didn’t have regular housing management support. That changed with the introduction of our Neighbourhoods and Specialist Housing service. Soon after, Ann joined Hyde as the new Housing Scheme Officer, she quickly became familiar with the residents, including Carol, and identified that she was struggling.

Not long after, a ground floor flat became available following the sad passing of a neighbouring resident.

Seeing this as an opportunity to change Carol’s life, Ann supported her with completing an application on Jigsaw, our open waiting list platform, which was successful.

Ann then worked tirelessly, collaborating with various teams and Hyde Foundation to make sure everything was in place for the big day.
On moving day, an emotional Ann, said: “It broke my heart to see Carol unable to leave her home. I knew how much better she would feel if she was just able to get outside.”

In true demonstration of the community spirit at Victoria Road - local resident, Dave, offered to repaint Carol’s new home for free. The grandsons of Carol’s neighbour and friend, Liz, helped to move all her furniture to the ground floor. They even carried a new sofa from the local charity shop on the high street.

The daughter of the resident who passed away donated her late mum’s mobility scooter – providing Carol with even more independence and a means of getting around.

Carol said: “The support from Hyde and my neighbours was overwhelming. I’ve never felt so cared for and looked after. And now I can get outside and start enjoying things again. This has truly changed my life.

“As someone that doesn’t have immediate family, the residents here feel like family. They’re so supportive and Ann has been amazing. She’s helped with everything. She saw that I couldn’t climb the stairs anymore and refused to let me stay in my flat. She made sure that I’m able to get out – even if only for some fresh air.

“I’m also the longest resident living at the scheme, so I’ve seen all the comings and goings. And I can honestly say, Ann is the best thing ever. She really looks out for us and it’s good to know that Hyde is making changes to be better.”

The move has restored Carol’s independence, improved her wellbeing and strengthened the bonds within the community.

Ann concluded: “This is why I do what I do. Sometimes it’s the smallest changes that have the biggest impact.”

Through Ann’s presence, tenacity and commitment to enhancing the wellbeing of residents living at Victoria Road, the scheme has seen various improvements, including new bin stores, external repairs, and painting. Ann is also working on improving the green area, the only communal space at the scheme, in time for summer.

Beyond the aesthetics and repairs, Ann devotes her time to enhancing the health and well-being of her residents, some of whom have complex mental health challenges.

Whether supporting residents just out of rehab, helping them to get new fridges and cookers, or referring them to Hyde Foundation for further help, Ann goes above and beyond for residents and is a testament to Hyde’s values

Background

Victoria Road comprises of 14 self-contained flats, for both couples and single people. Located in Tunbridge Wells, the scheme is close to the town centre where residents enjoy shopping and eating out.
In January 2024, we launched our Neighbourhoods and Specialist Housing service - improving the way we work and manage our homes, to become closer to our customers.

As part of this service, our specialist housing schemes are now being managed by a dedicated team. We’ve increased the number of Housing Officers, ensuring more vulnerable customers receive dedicated support they need. This means we now have a designated officer for every one of our schemes.