Statement from The Whiteley Homes Trust
25 October 2019
Change of Chief Executive Officer
The Whiteley Homes Trust today announces that its Chief Executive Officer, Chandra McGowan, is stepping down after six years at the Trust. Her departure follows the successful completion of the new care facility, the Eliza Palmer Hub, which was opened officially last month.
Chairman Rod Bennion said: “During her time as Chief Executive, Chandra has been instrumental in bringing new facilities and a focus on care to our community.
Whiteley has developed a great deal in that time, in no small part due to Chandra’s work and commitment. She has been central to the development and delivery of the Eliza Palmer Hub, which has been a hugely complex project, but which is a tremendous achievement and asset for the village. Chandra’s insights and commitment ensured the successful design and delivery of this project.
With this and her many contributions to her credit, she is moving on to new challenges and we wish her well.
In leaving after 6 years with the Trust at Whiteley, Chandra would like to thank her colleagues and residents for the support they have given her and “wishes you all the very best for your personal future and for the future of the Village”.
The Director of Care and Community, Rachel Hill, will lead the executive management team as Acting Chief Executive. Rachel joined the Trust in 2018 from the Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust where she was Head of Nursing Haematology, Cellular Pathology, Palliative and End of Life Care. Prior to that, she was Director of Clinical Services at Woking and Sam Beare Hospices. A registered nurse, she has a Master’s Degree in Palliative Care from King’s College London.
Rod Bennion added, “Rachel is an exceptionally qualified Director and has led large clinical teams at Whiteley, at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and at Woking and Sam Beare Hospices. She is well-known to the residents and our colleagues in the Trust, with whom she has a deserved reputation for her care expertise and leadership. We are grateful to Rachel for agreeing to take on the additional challenge of leading the executive team”.
Author: Andrea da Gama
Whiteley care homes joint finalists in national care awards
1 October 2019
Whiteley care homes joint finalists in national care awards
Lisa Sparrow, Team Manager, Ingram House and Rachel Smelt, Nursing Team Manager after receiving the GSF Care Home of the Year Award 2019 Finalist certificate.
Ingram House residential care home and the newly opened Eliza Palmer Hub nursing home at Whiteley Village, managed by The Whiteley Homes Trust, have been announced as joint finalists in the Gold Standard’s Framework Care Home of the Year Awards 2019.
The announcement followed the recent official opening of the Hub – a stunning 30 bed nursing care facility – by the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey and the Mayor of Elmbridge.
This puts Whiteley’s care facilities amongst the top 15 care homes in the UK, according to the Gold Standards Framework and follows the GSF Platinum Award for the Trust earlier in the year, which it secured after winning GSF’s award four times and scoring 100% in its last assessment.
Ethna Mertens, Clinical Governance and Safeguarding Lead said: “Our strength lies in our passion and commitment, but we strive to be the best without losing our human touch. At Whiteley, we believe a holistic approach is essential to nurturing and caring for older people and ensuring their well-being. We have a culture of continuous improvement and so will not be complacent but will remain committed to enhancing the service experience for older people in our care and community.”
As the Trust marks the UN International Day of Older Persons which seeks to highlight the important contributions that older people make to society and raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges of ageing, Ethna Mertens noted the vital role of Whiteley’s numerous volunteers – many of whom are residents themselves.
“As our accreditation report said, we have a passionate, caring and committed team of nursing and care staff, which are supported by volunteers – many of whom also live in our Village community. They also do an important job which might be spending time with a sick resident or reading to someone with a visual impairment. Such things may seem small but really can make all the difference both to the care home resident and the volunteer.”
Author: Andrea da Gama
New £10.5m nursing care centre at Whiteley Village
Thursday 26 September 2019
PRESS RELEASE:
A sense of home is at the heart of new nursing care centre
at Whiteley Village
The Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, Mr Michael More-Molyneux and Cllr. Mrs Mary Sheldon, Mayor of Elmbridge seen here with Whiteley Homes Trust CEO Chandra McGowan and Chair, Rod Bennion OBE cutting the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the Eliza Palmer Hub
A new £10.5m nursing care centre for older people has just opened at the Whiteley Village retirement community in Walton on Thames, Surrey – the provider of 25% of the specialist social housing for older people in the borough of Elmbridge. Named after the first resident to move to the village when it opened in 1917, the 30-suite Eliza Palmer Hub is among the most innovative care facilities in the UK, blending clinical support with a major emphasis on social interaction amongst the whole village community.
Prominently positioned at the heart of the village, the distinctive octagonal building features the stylish conservatory-style Lantern Café as a social hub for all residents, as well as a hair salon, therapy and consulting rooms and 30 studios for residents needing higher levels of support. Led by residents, Whiteley Village is active in recognising loneliness and taking action to support each other – and this was a pivotal consideration in deciding to locate the key social facilities of the village at the Eliza Palmer Hub, encouraging greater interaction between those residents living independently in the village and those who need more care.
Designed by Levitt Bernstein and Francis Roberts Architects, the residential facilities of the two–storey building challenge the traditional nursing home model. A central, communal open-plan kitchen and living area is the focal point on each floor, with adjacent bedrooms enabling a sense of connection that is lacking in many nursing homes as Chandra McGowan, Chief Executive, The Whiteley Homes Trust, explains. “Our ethos is that life is for living so that, even if your health or mobility is restricted, it doesn’t mean you can’t engage with the normal rhythms of the day going on around you. Just as the kitchen is the heart of every home, the design makes interaction around food as easy and normal as possible.
“Many memories are evoked by the different senses associated with mealtimes and staying connected to a sense of home makes all the difference to quality of life. The sad reality for many UK nursing home residents is that their world is overly confined to their bedroom, whereas our approach is to create spaces and interaction where friendships can flourish.
“Respect for the individual is central to our personalised care strategy. At the heart of this is the understanding that our residents have lived their lives, usually in a mutually supportive “family” unit, until the point of acknowledging a need for more help. We are determined to enable them to continue doing as much as possible for themselves – and for others. Where our residents have the capacity and desire to take control over their lives, we will do everything we can to help them maintain their own independence as well as providing opportunities for them to contribute. This reflects the wider ethos of the village and why the Hub is so key to enhancing opportunities for mutual support within our community.“ This approach is also reflected in the landscape. A new courtyard in the heart of the care centre offers private and sheltered external space with plant beds to encourage residents to get outdoors.
Irene Craik, Director at Levitt Bernstein, said: “The Eliza Palmer Hub demonstrates the importance of putting people at the heart of the home; and the home at the heart of the community. We are proud to have helped deliver the Trust’s unique vision, designing the next generation of facilities and homes for Whiteley Village that are fit for the next 100 years, knowing they will make a real difference to the quality of life of the residents.”
Dominic Roberts of Francis Roberts Architects said: “The Whiteley Homes Trust has shown a great commitment to quality of materials and design, allowing us to create a carefully crafted and intricate building that responds to the patterns and forms of the historic village.”
The Eliza Palmer Hub was facilitated with loan funding from ethical banks Unity Trust Bank and Triodos Bank and was constructed by Castleoak, design and build specialists to the care sector.
The opening event was made extra special as our oldest resident, Freda Hodgson was celebrating her 106th birthday – seen here with the Lord Lieutenant, his wife and Trust CEO Chandra McGowan
Media enquiries: media@whiteleyvillage.org.uk
Notes to editors
Whiteley Village is owned by Whiteley Homes Trust, a charity providing affordable housing for over 400 pensioners of limited financial means. The majority live in almshouses or extra care apartments, with their rent funded through Housing Benefits and social services for care costs. Set in 225 acres of parkland, the village was created in 1917 at the behest of the philanthropist William Whiteley who left £1million in his will to create a dedicated community for the ‘elderly poor.’
About Levitt Bernstein
Levitt Bernstein is a practice of architects, urban designers and landscape architects with over 120 staff working from design studios in London and Manchester. We believe that good design can transform lives and apply this principle to our housing, education, health, arts and commercial projects of all shapes and sizes across the country. As well as designing new homes, we set standards and shape opinion within the sector. Last year we published ‘Age Friendly Housing: Future Design for Older People’, and we regularly contribute to other books, papers, guidelines and reports, including HAPPI Reports 1 and 2.
About Francis Roberts Architects
Architects and conservation architects in Preston, Lancashire, Francis Roberts Architects work with private clients, landowners, trusts and community groups on new buildings, homes, historic building conversion and urban design. The practice has membership of the professional register of the Prince’s Foundation and specialises in the design of buildings in sensitive and historic locations.
Foundation Research
Thursday 29 August 2019
New study to examine the experiences of older people moving into retirement communities
How older people, including those with fewer financial resources, cope with the transition into retirement communities will be investigated in a study led by the University of Surrey and The Whiteley Foundation for Ageing Well, thanks to a £77,000 award from the Pargiter Trust.
During this unique study, researchers will work closely with residents living at Whiteley Village (in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey) to investigate the psychological, physical and social impact on older people moving into a retirement community. Researchers will ask residents to share their insights into their experiences of transitioning from their former homes into their new one.
Feedback from interviews combined with an extensive evaluation of previous studies will enable researchers to develop guidance for new retirement community residents, and for staff who support them.
Unlike previous studies in this field that have focused on retirement communities with higher levels of socio-economic resources, this study will examine specific issues for people with fewer financial resources who are particularly vulnerable to change of this kind.
Dr Kimberley Smith, Lecturer in Health Psychology at the University of Surrey, said: “Transitioning into a retirement community is a major life event. Some people can find the experience difficult, whereas others adapt easily.
“Through this study we want to learn more about people’s experiences, both positive and negative, of entering retirement communities and moving within them so that we can aid older people to transition smoothly.”
Andrew King, Professor of Sociology and Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Ageing and Gender at the University of Surrey, said: “It is important for us to understand why transitioning into a retirement community can be a difficult experience for some older people, when retirement communities can offer a sense of belonging and support and access to round the clock care. Helping an older person to successfully transition into a retirement community is important to alleviate stress and feelings of uncertainty in making such a life change and unlock the positive benefits of moving into a supported community environment.”
Dr Alison Armstrong, Director at The Whiteley Foundation for Ageing Well said, “There are many transitions people can make in their retirement, including moving into a community such as Whiteley Village, or to being widowed, or to housing where more care is provided. Many people making these transitions do so without long-term negative impacts on their health and well-being. But many also find them hugely disruptive and find it difficult to settle. We want to know more about the social and psychological processes people go through, so that they can be better prepared and staff can support them as effectively as possible.”
Sue Gardiner from The Pargiter Trust said, “Vastly improved life expectancy, one of the great triumphs of the last century, looks set to be one of great challenges of the future with specific reference to how we continue to support older people to enjoy a better quality of life. Retirement communities form part of this supportive network for older people. This study will help us understand how we can better prepare and support individuals making this significant life change.”
For any further enquiries please contact:
University of Surrey:
Natasha Meredith (n.meredith@surrey.ac.uk)
Enquiries for The Whiteley Foundation for Ageing Well:
Dr Alison Armstrong (alison.armstrong@whiteleyvillage.org.uk)
Enquiries for The Pargiter Trust:
Suzanne Gardiner (suzanne@pargitertrust.org.uk)
Whiteley welcomes new Trustees
Wednesday 28 August 2019
The Whiteley Homes Trust welcomes new Trustees
The Whiteley Homes Trust is delighted to announce the names of its six new Trustees:
- Melbourne Barratt: Chief Executive, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
- Michael Berry: Director of Estates, Royal Holloway, University of London
- Tom Hoskin: Managing Director, Group Media Relations, Barclays
- Melanie Lindsay: Partner, Vici Partners
- Fiona McAnena: Partner, Clearhound
- Liz Peace, CBE: Chair of the Shadow Sponsor Board for the Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Project (amongst other senior non-executive roles)
Chandra McGowan, Chief Executive of the Trust said: “We were very pleased to have attracted such a prestigious and talented group of individuals to join our Board, which is now led by our new Chair, Rod Bennion OBE, who joined us earlier this year. Together with our existing Trustees, their skills, judgement and expertise will be hugely valuable as we plan the way forward for our historic Village and work to secure a successful future”.
Further information about the Chair and Trustees of the Whiteley Homes Trust can be found here.
University approves Trust as training facility
Thursday 25 July 2019
Whiteley welcomes student nurse
following university approval as a training facility
Student Nurse Catherine Bangoura with her friend, resident Sheila Brewer
The care team at Whiteley Homes Trust were delighted to welcome first year student nurse, Catherine Bangoura from the University of Surrey recently after the Trust was approved as a training facility for mentoring the university’s student nurses.
Catherine’s eight week placement is based at the Eliza Palmer Hub, the Village’s brand new care home, where supported by her mentor, Registered Nurse Ellen Collins, she is working alongside other nursing and care staff to look after its 30 residents. Catherine said: “The Hub is such a caring place and I’m really enjoying working here. I’m so grateful to my mentor and to all my colleagues for their advice and support.
“Whiteley is my second placement this year. My first was in a hospital and although I learned a lot, it was difficult to spend any quality time with patients. Although it’s very busy working here too, I do have the opportunity to get to know residents as individuals and develop a better understanding of their personal needs.”
One resident Catherine has become especially close to is Sheila Brewer, ”It’s important to me to make a difference, and I’m so happy to have been able to develop a special bond with Sheila”, said Catherine. “She’s always pleased to see me and that really makes my day, and I’d love to come back to work at Whiteley Village if there was a job available in the future!”
Ellen Collins said: “It has been a pleasure to mentor Catherine and I am sure she has appreciated the unfettered opportunity to observe, learn and develop and also enjoy time getting to know our residents. I am pleased she has recognised the importance of providing person-centred care and shows a natural affinity for caring for people holistically too. I hope Catherine preserves this passion as her training continues over the next two years and her clinical knowledge and skills develop. I wish her success with the rest of her nursing studies.”
The Trust’s approval as a recognised mentor by the University’s School of Health Sciences, not only benefits the organisation as an employer, but is also important for the wider care sector, say senior nursing staff at Whiteley.
Ethna Mertens, Clinical Governance & Safeguarding Lead at the Trust said: “These placements give us a valuable opportunity to showcase our *award-winning practice in older people’s care here at Whiteley Village, but also help us tackle misperceptions. Nurses can be reluctant to work in care homes when they qualify because many wrongly believe it offers a more limited opportunity to use their clinical skills, in comparison to a hospital.
“Catherine’s experience – and I hope that of the student nurses who follow her, will help us to change perceptions about nursing in care homes for the better and to highlight the broader range of experience and personal satisfaction this environment can offer. I was very pleased to hear Catherine would like to come back and work for us once she’s qualified – you can’t get a better recommendation than that!”
*The Whiteley Homes Trust won 2018 Platinum Award for the 4th year running from the National Gold Standards Framework Centre.
May the Force be with you!
Monday 22 July 2019
May the Force be with you!
Volunteers from our local Neighbourhood Policing Team
The Trust is very grateful to have such a committed and diverse group of volunteers including residents and members of our local community. Our Volunteering Team has also been delighted at the growing interest from local organisations and companies in supporting our charity – with three sending teams of staff to work on various projects in the Village during July, including 35 officers from Surrey Police.
In mid-July a group visited from local company SHL (here in the green t-shirts) whose staff helped to give residents’ new sheds their first coat of paint. Last week staff from Surrey County Council’s Adult Social Services Team visited to help the Village Fayre Committee set up for Saturday’s Fayre and at the end of the week, we also welcomed officers from Runnymede, Spelthorne and Elmbridge Neighbourhood Policing Team, who worked on various projects and then spent time meeting and getting to know some of our residents.
Volunteer Coordinator, Laura Cole said: “Following the closure of our nursing home, Whiteley House, there was a lot of old and unwanted equipment that had to be removed and so during the morning the officers helped to remove a lot of this into an enormous skip.
“Despite the drizzly weather, the volunteers didn’t let the rain get in the way of hard work and groups worked to paint residents’ sheds and to weed, trim and plant flowers in the Village Remembrance Garden. The sun finally showed up in the afternoon and groups of volunteers were then able to enjoy games of golf, putting and bowls with our residents and share a well-earned lunch!
“We are hugely grateful to all the organisations and individuals who support us by giving their time, energy and enthusiasm. It really makes all the difference to our residents and to our charity.”
If you, or your company would like to explore how you could support the work of The Whiteley Homes Trust by volunteering at Whiteley Village, please contact our Volunteering Team at volunteers@whiteleyvillage.org.uk or call 01932 825847.
The Villager Magazine – July 2019
You can view/download the July issue of the Villager magazine HERE.
The Villager Magazine – July 2019
What better week for residents to move into their wonderful new home in the Eliza Palmer Hub than National Carers’ Week (10 – 16 June) We know our award-winning care and nursing staff do an incredible job every day but during the move in particular everyone including our fantastic volunteers; Housekeeping & Portering team and Caretaker/Security Officer, Stefan, really went the extra mile to ensure residents were moved safely and given a VIP welcome into their new home.
Relative, Coral Harding said: “It all went so smoothly and everything was so well organised that residents were settled in their beautiful new rooms in no time….I just wanted to say how much my family and I appreciate all the hard work and thought that has gone into this wonderful facility.” (Read Coral’s letter in full on page 26.)
Gillian Lewis, whose mum Marjorie is Whiteley Village’s oldest resident at 107 said: “Mum and all the family were overwhelmed by the special efforts made by porters, carers, nurses and caterers on the day of the great move. Mum said: ‘It poured with rain but everyone was amazing!’ She particularly likes watching the builders at work while they finish the surroundings!”
“Volunteering is good for the soul!”
Friday, 7 June 2019
“Volunteering is good for the soul!”
So said one of our fantastic volunteers who we’ve been celebrating during National Volunteers’ Week (1 – 7 June). She went on to explain, “If you’ve ever helped someone in the smallest of ways, even crossing the street, then you’ll know the feeling. Whiteley Village is a lovely, unique place where you really do feel a sense of community spirit.”
Whiteley is fortunate to have 174 registered volunteers – a number which is expected to grow further once the Eliza Palmer Hub (an exciting new care facility with stunning public café and gardens) opens at the end of July.
Most volunteers are residents themselves but almost 40% come from the local community and The Whiteley Homes Trust (the charity which manages the Village), works with local schools and colleges as well as businesses – often through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.
Volunteer coordinator Laura Cole said: “We welcome volunteers with any skills and any amount of time to spare. We have developed some exciting intergenerational work between our residents and local children and young people, and our CSR projects are really appreciated by villagers and staff alike – for example recently when a team from the insurance company AXA worked with our Estates’ Team to transform an overgrown garden.”
Volunteers support a huge variety of activities, events and projects including the Befriending Scheme which helps residents who might otherwise be lonely or isolated. One community volunteer said: “I have made a close friendship with the lady that I visit and send her postcards when we travel which I know she enjoys receiving. Very small but I love sending them as much as she likes receiving them. Volunteering is now so much part of my life I can’t really imagine not doing it!”
These everyday heroes work alongside our staff to make a real difference to life at Whiteley – and it’s great to know the benefits can be mutual! If you would like to support The Whiteley Homes Trust charity as a volunteer or through your company’s CSR programme, please get in touch with Laura Cole, Volunteer Coordinator by email volunteers@whiteleyvillage.org.uk or by calling 01932 825847.
D-Day 75
Thursday, 6 June 2019
D-Day 75
Today marks the 75th anniversary of the Normandy Landings, also known as D-Day which took place on 6th June 1944. Read war veteran and Whiteley resident, Roy Lavender’s story in this month’s Whiteley Villager magazine with his memories of the intense fighting in Normandy after D-Day.
The Villager Magazine – June 2019
You can view/download the June issue of the Villager magazine HERE.
The Villager Magazine – June 2019
The Villager Magazine – May 2019
You can view/download the May issue of the Villager magazine HERE.
The Villager Magazine – May 2019
Huge congratulations to the team at Whiteley House after they were recognised for their excellent quality care – winning a prestigious national award for the fourth time!
Whiteley House is one of 35 care homes from across England to have repeated its success in winning the Quality Hallmark Award from the National Gold Standards Framework (GSF) Centre, the UK’s largest provider of training in end of life care. Staff had to demonstrate to GSF assessors that they were still meeting the necessary quality standards, including leadership, support, dignity and respect. Homes that demonstrate their credentials for the second, third or fourth time are recognised with the GSF Platinum Award.
Vic Rayner, Executive Director of the National Care Forum, who presented the awards, said: “Residents in GSF accredited care homes like Whiteley House are receiving the personalised, proactive care people want and deserve as they approach the end of their life. These homes should be congratulated for being frontrunners by embedding the principles of the newly published NHS Long Term Plan ahead of time, helping more people die where and how they would choose as well as reducing avoidable hospital admissions.”
Rachel said: “The care team at Whiteley House and across the whole of the Village, have a reputation for excellence – winning this prestigious award four times. “But this year they have
exceeded even that success by scoring 100% in their assessment and securing a platinum level award. This is a truly amazing achievement for which the Whiteley House team, guided by
Ethna, should be justifiably proud. “Providing person-centered care, enabling choice and
ensuring dignity, sits at the heart of what we do, but it’s especially important for residents who are approaching the end of their lives and so we are delighted to be recognised for the
quality of our palliative care. “The timing of this award is also a fitting end for the much loved Whiteley House, as we prepare for its closure and moving residents into the Eliza Palmer Hub –
where although the building will have changed, our commitment to providing excellence will remain exactly the same!”
Well done to everyone at Whiteley House!
