Looking for a great place and community to live in in your retirement?

The Foord Almshouses in Priestfields, Rochester and Richard Watts Charities in Medway both offer such an opportunity.

The Foord Almshouses Grade II-listed building was founded in 1927 and comprises 73 single and double flats.

Set in beautiful grounds with a bandstand in the main square, residents have onsite allotments, a communal hall, a library and a games room. A social club also organises residents events.

The almshouses are on a bus route that stops just outside the front of the building and is close to Borstal village, which has shops, a chemist and takeaways.

To be eligible to apply, you must be aged 65 to 80, be retired or working part time, live or have lived in Medway, and require housing/have a limited income/or not own a home. Housing benefit is accepted too.

As part of the application process, you will have initial call with the clerk to check your eligibility.

Richard Watts Charities has also recently extended its reach to the whole of Medway.

To be eligible for the service you need to be of pensionable age and to receive a state pension, to receive or be eligible for pension credit and/or housing benefit, to be resident in Medway or returning/moving to Medway to be closer to family, and to be able to live independently, which will be assessed as part of the application process.

Richard Watts Charities has 67 flats in central Rochester, split over four sites, with most of the provision at its Maidstone Road site, which was established in the 1850s. The other provision is in Reeves House, St Catherine’s Hospital and Haywards House; all of which offer comfortable accommodation.

Almshouses are the oldest form of charitable housing and there are more than 30,000 across the UK. They range from small clusters of properties to large historical buildings through to modern style buildings.

A defining feature of an almshouse is its strong sense of community spirit, fostered by its architectural design, which often centres on a courtyard or communal space. The layout encourages neighbourly connections while maintaining people’s independence.

In 2017, a team at the Bayes Business School, London, were commissioned to carry out a study devoted to the 100th anniversary of Whiteley Village – one of the largest retirement/almshouse communities. The study found that individuals living in the community experienced a longevity boost, with a higher life expectancy than the general population. The findings sparked wider research of other almshouses and it was proven that anyone living in an almshouse lives longer.

Almshouses also have tangible economic value, contributing more than £43 million annually to the state, according to the Housing Learning and Improvement Network.

Each almshouse operates under specific eligibility criteria, set by its original benefactors who established the homes to support people in need.

The three largest almshouses in Medway are Foords, Richard Watts Charities and La Providence. All three offer a high standard of accommodation in central Rochester.

All are members of the Almshouse Association, which has been championing almshouse charities and advancing the movement since 1946.

With more than 1,500 members, the Almshouse Association provides expert guidance, best practices, training and funding to help member charities manage their properties effectively. It aims to protect, preserve and promote this historical charitable housing model, raising its profile as a key form of affordable housing.

For more information or to check eligibility for the Foord Almshouses, call the clerk on 01634 844138 or email office@thefoordalmshouses.co.uk

For more details about the Richard Watts Charities Community, call 01634 842194, email admin@richardwatts.org.uk or visit www.richardwatts.org.uk