Village Heating and Hyde Housing’s Sheltered and Supported team serve up community spirit.

Each year, residents of Hardwick Court, Erith, celebrate the end of Wimbledon with strawberries and cream.

This occasion is typically funded by the residents themselves.

This year, when Wendy Woods, Housing scheme officer at Hyde Housing, noticed low morale amongst some elderly residents, she decided to host a ploughman’s lunch followed by Strawberries and cream – free of charge!

Woods notes that a significant number of the residents live on fixed or low incomes, making it difficult for them to afford nutritious meals or transportation to social events.

Hoping to treat the residents, Woods turned to Match My Project to bring her idea to life.

Soon after the project went live, Village Heating committed to funding the event. Woods notes the professionalism of Rajesh Vekria, Village Heating’s Chief Financial Officer – Hyde Housing’s Sheltered and Supported team received £150 in Morrisons vouchers on the very same day the offer was accepted.

Thanks to Village Heating’s generous donation, 28 residents enjoyed cheese, ham, fresh bread rolls and pickles. They then had strawberries and cream for dessert, followed by a music quiz to round off the afternoon.

Here’s what Woods had to say about the experience:

“The residents really enjoyed it, especially some of our older ones who don’t get to go out very much due to mobility issues etc…

My experience of MMP has always been a positive one, it has allowed us to give back to our residents in ways that we haven’t been able to before.

Obviously, it pays to do your research prior to do an application/project but on the whole it has helped improve the lives of our residents in a very positive way.”

What a lovely way to bring the community together! We loved hearing how residents who might otherwise miss out on social events got to enjoy good food, company, and a bit of fun.

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