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In touch Monthly newsletter from The Whiteley Homes Trust
May 2020
VE Day 2020: Whiteley celebrates in style
Lockdown had no chance of dampening spirits cream teas, and also to Daniel Hulme, CEO
at Whiteley Village on the VE Day Bank from On Air Dining who gave us the delicious
Holiday - especially in all that fabulous hot decorated cakes. Special thanks also go to the
sunny weather! So, although the street parties staff and volunteers who came in on the Bank
had to be cancelled, people still celebrated in Holiday to help pack up the food into bags
style in their gardens and cottages and balco- and hand deliver them to everyone.
nies were transformed with flags and bunting
turning the Village into a very patriotic red, One resident, Pauline Simpson summed up
white and blue. the response of many to the wonderful
donation: "Wow!! How about this? We all
know and appreciate how fortunate we are to
live in such beautiful surroundings with amaz-
ing support at this particular time in history,
namely the Corona virus and VE Day – but this
generosity `blows one’s mind`! Thank you
Whiteley Village, for being there for us at this
time in history - and this time in our lives.”
Villager Rita Merryman also celebrated her
93rd birthday on the Bank Holiday making her
18 years old on VE Day: what an incredible
Whiteley Homes Trust CEO, Rachel Hill said,
double celebration! (See Rita here with Terry
“We are hugely grateful to the Caring Founda-
Cracknell one of our Support Workers and
tion and On Air Dining for their extraordinary
Rachel Hill our CEO.)
generosity and to the fantastic team of volun-
The Trust were also very grateful to the Caring teers and staff who worked so hard to prepare
Foundation which donated the 450 meal and and deliver the 450 meal bags. It was a huge
task, but residents clearly appreciated it! The on International Nurses Day, which is an oppor-
Village looked spectacular – and despite the tunity to celebrate nurses and nursing across
challenges of social distancing, it was a truly the world", she said. "At a time when there is a
special day.” lot of focus on NHS nurses and carers in social
care, we must not forget the registered nurses
working here at Whiteley and in care homes
across the country.
Huntley House residents enjoying the fun
Recalling her VE Day memories, Pauline said:
“I was six in 1945. My father was stationed in
Weymouth and I well remember the street
“With the current COVID19 pandemic the need
party - it was a long street and everyone
for excellence in care and nursing is more vital
contributed. We were so excited to have jam
than ever. The skill and quality of care provided
sandwiches and homemade rock cakes,
by our team is outstanding and as a nurse
bearing in mind the rationing - the atmosphere
myself I am incredibly proud to be leading them
was amazing. D–Day evokes so many vivid
through this challenging time. I would particu-
memories – hard to believe I was only six, where
larly like to thank our Nursing Manager, Rachel
did it all go?!
Smelt for organising the celebration and also to
“We celebrated this VE Day in our garden with her friend Grace for creating the amazing cake!”
the flags donated by the Royal British Legion
and our delicious shepherd’s pie - plus a glass Rachel Smelt said: “This year’s International
of wine of course and precious memories! Nurses Day is a momentous occasion as we’re
Thank you to everyone involved for making celebrating it in the International Year of the
such a lovely day in difficult circumstances." Nurse & Midwife, as well as on the 200th anni-
versary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, a
International Nurses Day 2020 pioneer whose principles we still follow today.”
The Trust celebrated the dedication and hard Freda’s amazing story in the news again
work of its registered nurses on International Our oldest resident, Freda
Nurses Day this year with a special event and a Hodgson, made the head-
spectacular cake! CEO, Rachel Hill, an RN lines once more this week,
herself, expressed the Trust’s appreciation for with an article in the Sunday
their outstanding commitment on behalf of Times about her extraordi-
Whiteley residents and the Trust’s leadership. nary life and how this
Urging people not to forget the vital role nurses incredible lady survived
play in social care, she said the need for excel- Spanish Flu a century ago, and at 106 is now
lence, especially at this time, had never been living through the next global pandemic. To
greater. “I would like to extend my thanks on read the article in full, visit our website at: ., xc
behalf of the Trust to all our nurses and carers www.whiteleyvillage.org.uk .
Welcome to our recent staff arrivals her 12 year old son are also proud supporters
of Chelsea Football Club. A former prize
Wendy Bradley, Village
winning swimmer and athlete for Middlesex
Care Assistant, Ingram
Borough, Jennifer enjoys spending time at the
House
gym, swimming and running. She also loves
After leaving school Wendy baking, dancing and singing.
worked as a hairdresser and
later moved into a number of
Improving our admissions process
other roles before becoming
a driver for ten years. She then started work in Over the last few months, the Housing and
social care. Wendy describes herself as a Support Team have been working to streamline
naturally caring person who loves working with the process of admission into Whiteley Village
older people. Wendy has six grandchildren and and for those needing to move internally. The
in her spare time looks after her horse Polly. Board have now agreed the proposals which
means the system should soon be more
Tracy Bunce, Village Care
efficient and customer focussed, and will help
Assistant, Eliza Palmer Hub
ensure criteria and decision making are more
Tracy was 16 years old when transparent.
she began her career in
The Housing & Support team will continue to
social care. She later worked
operate a date-ordered waiting list, with priority
with children, and remained
given to those with a proven need. Property will
in that sector for the next 20 years before
be allocated according to an applicant’s needs
returning to adult social care where she worked
as determined by health and social care profes-
with all abilities and ages. Tracy is married with
sionals, and not an applicant’s preferences. (For
one daughter and has a much loved dog. In her
example, an internal applicant who has a prov-
spare time she enjoys building Lego figures.
en health condition, which makes the property
David Offield, Village Care they are currently living in unsuited to their
Assistant, Care at Home needs.)
David has spent his career The improvements also include changes to the
working in various aspects of admissions documentation; with both external
social care with adults and as and internal applicants now required to com-
a key worker for young adults plete forms and provide supporting documents
and children. David is married and in his spare in order to progress onto the waiting list.
time loves to travel. He enjoys scuba diving and
As part of a new more efficient and customer
is also a `devoted` cyclist, often helping raise
focused approach, the housing team will seek
money for charity.
to arrange an applicant’s interview, Village tour
Jennifer Willougby, Village and care assessment (if required), on the same
Care Assistant, Eliza Palmer day - rather than over a few days, as currently.
Hub
Jennifer has worked as a care To help expedite the process, all applications
assistant for seven years and will now be approved by a member of the Lead-
is hoping to study nursing at ership Team rather than a member of the
university in the future. Having grown up in Board. Once an accommodation offer has been
Twickenham she is a big rugby fan and she and made by the Trust, applicants are required to
confirm or reject it within 48 hours and to be the purpose of resuming such activities is for
ready to move into their new home within two exercise rather than socialising, and so the
weeks. This will help the Trust turn around Clubhouses at Whiteley (and elsewhere), will
voids more quickly and limit loss of income. have to remain closed for the time being.
Applicant criteria: Re-opening the Village Shop
• In order to live in a Whiteley almshouse Some of you have
cottage, applicants need to demonstrate asked when the
they have the mental capacity to live inde- Village Shop will
pendently, with care support (up to a re-open. Obviou-
determined level of need) if required. sly there are lots
of things we need
• External applicants should have capital
to consider to
assets of no more than £30k and an income
ensure we can
of no more than £17k per annum.
keep our customers, staff and volunteers safe.
• As there is no longer a state retirement But we’re pleased to let you know we hope to
age, the age criteria for applicants reflects open on a limited basis in early June and will
the ages set out in the original Will, as confirm the date and more details as soon as
follows: we can.
No less than 60 years of age for We are following the Government guidance
women for shops and have ordered protective
No less than 65 years of age for men resources such as perspex for a screen at the
counter and floor markings to assist with social
All applications will be subject to standard distancing reminders. There will also need to
Government `Right to Rent` checks (as part of be a queuing system and a `one-in-one-out`
immigration law requirements). policy. Hand sanitiser will be available and we
will also be advising customers to wear a face
COVID-19 Update: Our response to the covering if they can. Further details will be
new Government guidelines available soon.
Resuming some outdoor activities Next steps
The Government have now permitted certain The Leadership Team are very aware of the
outdoor activities to resume, as long as social negative effects of continued social isolation
distancing and infection control processes are and we will continue to do all we can to allevi-
in place. Fishing at Whiteley will only be availa- ate the impact of this on you all.
ble for residents at the moment and any
Villagers who are interested should contact We will aim to respond as quickly as we can to
our Estate Manager, Stuart Cameron. any subsequent changes in the official
guidance as the situation evolves over the
The new guidance now allows us to socialise coming weeks and months. But your safety
with one person at a time outside of our own remains our key priority and we will therefore
household, and so the Leadership Team are keep the situation under close review and
currently in discussion with the respective continue to liaise with our local partners to
Chairs of the Golf Club, Putting Club and ensure our decisions are as well informed and
Bowls Club to discuss how their members can timely as possible. In the meantime, thank you
begin playing safely again. Ministers have said for your patience and cooperation.
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