We are a small housing charity running a unique retirement community in Surrey
We believe everyone has the right to live well in a good home as they age, regardless of their limited financial means.
We support the health and wellbeing of up to 450 older people, who are unable to buy or rent their own home on the open market, and provide 25% of the specialist housing for older people in the borough of Elmbridge.
We offer a wide variety of homes on our large estate, including over 250 listed almshouse cottages, extra-care flats and residential care.
In summer 2019 we opened The Eliza Palmer Hub; our state-of-the-art nursing care centre, featuring the stunning Lantern Café.
Most of our accommodation is intended for older people on a limited income but we also offer residential and nursing care for those who can self-fund, and a limited number of purchase leasehold options. All the proceeds from our self-funding residents support the work of our charity and benefits the whole community here at Whiteley Village.
A Thriving Community for Older People
Our community... proud, connected and safe
Whiteley Village
Housing with a social conscience
Whiteley Homes Trust
Living longer, ageing well
Whiteley Foundation
Our History
Our founder, William Whiteley, was a successful retail entrepreneur. When he died in 1907, he bequeathed £1 million to create housing for ‘the needy poor in their old age’.
The Whiteley Homes Trust was founded in 1907 and it began building Whiteley Village here at Walton-on-Thames in Surrey in 1914 – the first purpose-built retirement village in the UK, as far as we know.
Our first resident was Eliza Palmer, a retired nurse, who moved into her cottage on 10 October 1917. Since then, Whiteley Village has survived two World Wars, hosted two royal visits and completed two cottage refurbishment programmes.
William Whiteley’s vision and his social and architectural ambition made the Village outstanding for its time and it remains so today.
The Trust is committed to delivering on the original objectives and principles of the charity, whilst adapting and improving how we operate to ensure a sustainable future for our Village and everyone who lives and works here.
Further information about our historical milestones, important Whiteley artefacts and much more, can be found in the collection at the Whiteley Village Museum which is cared for and curated by our residents. Visits can be arranged on request.
