LEAP News

15th March 2022 - The Dunhill Medical Trust awarded funding of £287,000 to Almshouse Resilient Communities (ARC) for the Future, a project led by UCL in collaboration with the University of Suffolk and seven almshouse charity partners, including LEAP almshouses. Alison Pooley, who works for the University of Suffolk as well as being a trustee of LEAP, is taking a key role in this research project. For more about this project, click here.

17th November 2021 - At its quarterly meeting, the board of trustees thanked Brian Butcher for his services to the almshouse charities under LEAP's management upon his retirement as a trustee. They welcomed Manda O'Connell as a new trustee.

27th October 2021 - The trustees of LEAP noted with considerable regret the resignation of Michael Siggs, one of the founders of LEAP in 2014.

4th December 2020 - A report entitled Almshouses: A Model of Community Housing for an Ageing Population is published by the RICS Research Trust. The 76 page comprehensive report was authored by Jenny Pannell of Anglia Ruskin University and Dr Alison Pooley also of Anglia Ruskin University and a LEAP trustee. For more about this important report and to see how you can obtain a copy of it - click here

21st October 2020 - LEAP responds to the Government's consultation on proposals for reform of the planning system in England and its paper Planning for the Future - see below

11th October 2020 - LEAP publishes its first newsletter - see below

16th September 2020 - The Charity Commission appointed LEAP to take over the management of the Mary Dains Cottages almshouse charity in Trimley St Mary from this date. This charity has six very attractive almshouses which were built in 1914 shortly after her death.

29th July 2020 - LEAP takes over as trustee of the Ernest Elijah Everitt Trust in Southend following the retirement of Mr Philip South as the last remaining trustee of that charity. Philip South had served as a trustee of it since his appointment on 1st December 1980. The Ernest Elijah Everitt charity was formed in 1958 and has 4 homes in Colchester Road, Prittlewell, Southend. This brings the number of properties managed by LEAP to 50.

March 2020 - The LEAP Trustees agree a significant plan at Hoddesdon at the Queen Victoria's almshouses and the adjacent Dr West's bungalow to refurbish all three properties. This will see two of the Queen Victoria's cottages turned from bed-sits into one-bedroomed homes and with new kitchens and bathrooms.

17th July 2019 - Rosie Pearson joins the LEAP board bringing her campaigning skills around sustainable and affordable housing issues, and business development and marketing expertise in a variety of sectors.

June 2019 - The Trustees complete the total refurbishment of the two derelict bungalows in Coppins Road Clacton owned by the Gilders & Maskells Almshouse charity which had been empty for some years. The original trustees had considered various options about what to do with them which included demolishing them. The LEAP Trustees have now brought them back into use and made them useful homes again.

31st October 2018 - Brian Butcher joins the Trustee board of LEAP after 35 years as a Chartered Structural Engineer with an East Anglian based firm of civil and structural engineers in which he was a founder and Director.

29th August 2018 - The LEAP Trustees held a one-day strategic review meeting at Marks Tey Hotel in to examine its structure, financing, resourcing, and policies as well as LEAP's future direction. All the Trustees felt that the opportunity to go through everything in detail was extremely valuable. They confirmed their willingness to continue to expand albeit slowly to allow proper time to assimilate new charities under the management of LEAP and to become familiar with the almshouse properties owned by those charities.

1st July 2018 - The Trustees of LEAP agreed to takeover the management of 4 almshouses charities from Colne Housing Society. These are 3 schemes in Chelmsford and 1 in Brightlingsea. For more information click here

15th April 2018 - The Trustees of the two very attractive bungalows by Springfield Green in Chelmsford previously managed by Springfield Green Almshouses [SGA] - Charity 227436 approved the transfer of management of that Charity to LEAP as from the 15^th April 2018.

6th February 2018 - Kevin Dodman retired from the board of trustees on 6th February 2018 having helped to found LEAP in 2013 and in the many meetings and discussions which took place in the years prior to this date.

1st January 2018 - LEAP take over responsibility for managing the John Gilders and Maskell Almshouse charity with two bungalows in Clacton.

17th May 2017 - Rob Neve and Alison Pooley join the board of LEAP. See their profiles here

1st April 2015 - The Trustees of LEAP (CIO Charity reg no. 1155672) agreed with Genesis Housing Association to take over 6 almshouse charities which have been managed by Genesis. Details of the 6 charities can be found here

25th March 2015 - News of an Awards for All Lottery Grant for LEAP for £9,660 was announced today. This money will be used to fund the take over and management of almshouses that are currently owned by other local charities or housing associations that are either at risk of folding or unable to meet the needs of their older service users. The project will also carry out a publicity exercise informing the local community of the change and the group’s activities.

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