Hot off the press: HLINks – our essential sector news, including details of this week’s HAPPI award winners and 3 new Housing LIN blogs, and so much more

Jeremy talks….

Welcome to Jeremy talks and my weekly piece to audio to coincide with the Housing LIN's weekly bulletin, HLINks, week ending 17 July.

This week I was pleased to speak at two influential events: the first a webinar organised by ILC-UK, in partnership with the DICE Project and the LIN, on combatting loneliness in extra care called, ‘In it together: Making housing for older adults more inclusive’ and – the second, as a panellist on the APPG on Health and Housing’s virtual session on the impact of poor quality housing on health inequalities. I also presented virtually two HAPPI Awards at the 2020 Housing Design Awards. There were lots of strong contenders but the winning schemes were submitted by Quad Architects for Audley Stanbridge Earls (a project award) and PRP Architects for Grants Hill House (a completed scheme award). HAPPI days!

In other news, ahead of a promised Planning White Paper, we have also put our name to a letter along with leading retirement housing sector trade and professional bodies calling on the Secretary of State for Housing, Robert Jenrick MP, to review housing for older people as part of the forthcoming planning reforms to be announced.

And on the publications’ front, we feature three very different guest blogs that reflect the interests of our broad membership. They include one from James Bullion, the new President of ADASS on his key adult social care and housing asks of government, one by Becky Walker, Oxford City Council’s Home Improvement Agency Manager on their rapid discharge grant programme and, the last. by Suzanne Noble from Silver Sharers on lodging.

To read these, and a round-up of relevant news and events on housing, health and social care matters, check out our latest weekly bulletin on our website or register online to receive our alerts and other notifications of your choice sent direct to your inbox.

And, if you would like to talk with us about any matters highlighted and/or share learning about your work, email ‘Jeremy talks’ at: info@housinglin.org.uk

You can also listen to Jeremy talks… here

Best wishes and stay safe,

Jeremy

HAPPI Days

The 2020 Housing Design Awards HAPPI winners

The 2020 Housing Design Awards commenced on Monday night and have been taking place each night this week. On Wednesday evening it was the turn of the HAPPI category and Building for a Healthy Life categories. I was delighted to present the HAPPI Awards virtually.

Audley Stanbridge Earls

The first award for the best project scheme went to Audley Stanbridge Earls. On the outskirts of Romsey in Hampshire, it was one by Quad Architects for The Audley Group and Test Valley Borough Council.  The scale of this huge new community and its quantum of new-build helped us make it a winner.

Grants Hill

The second HAPPI award, for the best completed scheme, went to Grants Hill Court in Uckfield, East Sussex. Designed by PRP Architects for Wealden District Council, it provides affordable independent living in an enabling environment. It was designed to encourage local people to ‘right-size’. Homes are ‘care ready’ so residents can age in place.

And congratulations go to retirement living operator, PegasusLife and Glenn Howells Architects for winning the Good Neighbour Award for One Bayshill Road in Cheltenham.

This week’s new Housing LIN guest blogs

COVID-19, Housing Rights and Social Justice

James Bullion headshot

Further to last month’s Recover / Reset / Regenerate virtual conference (see events page below) with ADASS and Foundations, James Bullion – ADASS’s President and Executive Director of Adult Social Services at Norfolk County Council – outlines his vision for a compassionate and respectful society that enables independence, wellbeing and participation in community life, grounded in housing rights and social justice. And with COVID in mind, his blog concludes with a series of ‘asks’ of government to strengthen the housing choices for older people and people with a disability or long term health condition.

Coronavirus and ensuring a safe hospital discharge to a secure home

Becky Walker headshot

In her blog, Becky Walker – the Home Improvement Agency Manager at Oxford City Council – shares how the city’s HIA service has responded speedily to Coronavirus, prioritising its urgent work to enable a safe and secure hospital discharge back home thereby reducing the risk of exposure to infection.

Lodging – A Blueprint for Future Living?

Blog Suzanne Noble

In a follow up blog for the Housing LIN, Suzanne Noble - the founder of Silver Sharers - explores a variety of approaches to home-sharing; from co-living to lodging. Drawing on her personal experience, she considers how to develop a better understanding of different living arrangements and the values that underpin them.

Coronavirus Update

A selection of latest government advice guidelines and plans that are relevant for our sector include:

Other relevant COVID-19 news include:

And remember, check out on our Coronavirus Info Hub for a range of Housing LIN practice briefings for the sector and links to other useful information and websites.

Also, post or reply to questions on our discussion forum. It allows you to share information, raise issues and ask questions to solve a tricky issue. For example, can you share your organisation’s COVID-19 risk plan in preparation for the 2nd wave or information about how you are engaging with residents?

Housing, Community, Disability, and Ageing

Opinion pieces and blogs:

Design and Technology

Opinion pieces and blogs:

Health and care

Opinion pieces and blogs

Planning

Housing LIN signs sector letter on planning reforms to The Secretary of State for Housing

Ahead of the expected Planning White Paper announcement, we have joined forces with other leading retirement housing sector bodies calling on The Secretary of State for Housing, Robert Jenrick MP, to review housing for older people as part of the forthcoming planning reforms. The letter sets out 4 ways in which government can ensure that the demand for specialist housing for older people could be better laid out in national guidance and local plans.

Other planning news

Tetlow King Logo

Wales

Flag Wales

Welsh government guidance on COVID-19 can be found at: https://gov.wales/coronavirus

In other news:

Scotland

Scottish Flag

Scottish government guidance on COVID-19 can be found at https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance/

In other news:

Fothcoming Events

Getting ready for VJ Day on 15 August – Get engaged

Saturday, 15 August 2020 is the 75th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan Day), marking both the surrender of Japan and the end of the fighting during the Second World War. We have been approached by the National Memorial Arboretum, who along with The Royal British Legion, are playing leading roles in the commemorations. They are looking for individuals from the Second World War generation who are interested in sharing their stories and memories from VJ Day. It would like to hear a range of stories from those who served in the Asia Pacific region and their loved ones, to those who marked VJ Day at home.

Watch again: Recover / Reset / Regenerate conference

RECOVER, RESET, REGENERATE_Hl

Anyone who either dipped in and out or missed last month’s joint Foundations / ADASS / Housing LIN conference, or wants to watch again, you can now view it in full or click on the sessions you want to see at: https://rrrconference.online/Highlights

And you can now also download the post-conference briefing at: https://www.housinglin.org.uk/News/Recover-Reset-Regenerate-Conference-Briefing/

Other upcoming Events

Housing LIN Events - In light of the coronavirus outbreak we have cancelled all our upcoming regional meetings and training courses until further notice. We are currently exploring how to hold these events online, so watch this space!

In the meantime, we are pleased to be involved/support the following virtual events:

Next week

Next week we publish a new blog by Trude Silman on her experiences living in housing association sheltered housing during the pandemic. And, following Jeremy’s blog on ‘work ready’ HAPPI, the Housing LIN has been working with an international consortia of academic and non-academic partners to found the WorkHome Project. To coincide, watch out for our new dedicated webpages on designing for working from home.

The Housing LIN would like to thank Willmott Dixon for their support in producing this newsletter.

Stay well, stay connected and be safe!