Chris Webb MP visits Harrowside House sheltered housing scheme to mark Starts at Home Day

Residents and staff from Harrowside House sheltered housing scheme in Blackpool were visited by local MP Chris Webb to mark Starts at Home Day, an annual event aimed at highlighting and celebrating the value of sheltered housing (also known as supported housing), raising awareness and building political support for the future of the sector in the UK.

- By Mike Silverstone

Chris Webb visits Harrowside House regeneration of outdated sheltered housing, with a focus on how schemes can be modernised to meet 21st century expectations. Alongside organisations

Harrowside House is managed by the not-for-profit Abbeyfield Living Society (ALS), which operates a network of sheltered housing schemes, care homes and independent living complexes for older people across the country.

ALS sheltered housing schemes afford residents the privacy of their own room within a communal living setting, with shared facilities such as a lounge, garden and dining room. Two nutritious meals a day and a wide-ranging optional activities schedule are provided, affording the residents the opportunity to socialise and to keep mentally and physically active. The focus is on enabling residents to maintain their independence as much as possible, with day-to-day tasks including housekeeping, laundry and gardening taken care of.