University Researchers Contribute To New Knowledge Hub

A three-year research project focused on almshouse residents and charities has come to fruition thanks to researchers including the University of Suffolk.

The Knowledge Hub on Resilience in Almshouse Communities provides a free resource to almshouse residents, staff and trustees and covers subjects including climate change, enhancing the built environment, strengthening communities, and wellbeing.

This project is the largest and most comprehensive research project concentrating on almshouses ever undertaken and is being celebrated as an example of how research translates into a community benefit.

An almshouse is residential accommodation which belongs to a charity and is provided exclusively to meet the charity’s purpose such as helping those in financial need.

The project has been led by University College London working with seven community partners who provide high quality accommodation for older residents and was created out of a need to boost the resilience of communities as well as the built environment as climate change becomes more extreme and shock events, such as pandemics, become more common.

It presents 30 themes and a number of case studies relating to resilience collected from residents, staff and trustees with findings including the importance of independence and independent living, and spending time outdoors to benefit overall wellbeing.

Professor Emma Bond, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research, University of Suffolk, said: “We are really proud to be a Civic University and our community impact arising from our transformational research agenda.

“The Knowledge Hub for Resilience in Almshouse Communities is an amazing example of how research translates into a resource for a wide community, and we’ve been delighted to be a lead partner on this important project.”

Dr Alison Pooley, an associate professor at the University of Suffolk and chair of an Almshouse Charity in Suffolk, who was on the research team said: “This is a wonderful output for the project, really useful and totally unique in the world of almshouses.”

Leading the project was Dr Niamh Murtagh, from University College London who added: “We are delighted to announce the launch of the Knowledge Hub.

“We hope it will offer a valuable set of resources to anyone involved in providing housing for older people or, in fact, any form of social housing.”

To access the hub go to ARC for the Future - United St Saviour's Charity (ustsc.org.uk)