His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester, Royal Vice-Patron of The Almshouse Association, officially opened the new "Feoffee Rise" almshouse development in Ottery St Mary yesterday, marking a significant milestone in the Charity’s nearly 600-year history.
Accompanied by the Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Devon, Mrs Mary Quicke, MBE, Willie Hartley Russell, Chair of The Almshouse Association and Nick Phillips, CEO of The Almshouse Association, the Royal guest was introduced to local officials, including Vicky Johns, the Mayor of Ottery St Mary, and Sir John-Michael Kennaway, Chair of the Ottery Feoffee Charity.
During a tour of the new purpose-built dwellings at Brook Street, which were constructed on the site of the former Brook Street Day Centre, The Duke met with project coordinator, Adam Williams, Jon Bibby, Builder of Southwest Heritage and Tina Collins, Clerk for Ottery Feoffee Charity. His Royal Highness spent time speaking with the first residents to move in, including Mrs Anne Bastyan and Mr Chris Thomas, who both spoke warmly about their new almshouses.
Following the tour, the celebration moved to The Institute on Yonder Street, where The Duke met project supporters and community representatives. As part of the celebration, His Royal Highness was shown historical records detailing the rich past of Ottery St Mary and the Ottery Feoffee Charity, which traces its origins back to a 1440 property deed gifted by John Lawrence.
Nick Phillips comments: “This royal visit from HRH The Duke of Gloucester highlights the vital role that small charity housing providers play in tackling today's housing crisis. Having the Duke spend time with residents like Mrs Bastyan and Mr Thomas underscores the deep human value of the almshouse model.
Feoffee Rise is a magnificent example of how independent almshouse charities provide tailored, community-led support. This opening does not just celebrate new buildings; it provides a powerful blueprint for the future development of more almshouses across the UK.
By providing genuinely affordable, high-quality homes, we keep local communities vibrant and protect independent living. The Ottery Feoffee Charity's long-term vision perfectly aligns with our mission to build sustainable community housing that will safely serve local people for centuries to come."
However, to meet the growing housing challenges of today, we need this movement to scale up. We are actively looking for more almshouse charities to be started across the country. To achieve this, we urgently need more philanthropists to step forward with funding, and more dedicated trustees to give their time and expertise to run these vital new charities. Ottery St Mary is a brilliant example of what is possible, and we hope their success inspires others to help us build a legacy for many more communities across the UK.”
Sir John-Michael Kennaway said: “It is a pleasure to see the building occupied at last. This project has taken six years to get from initial planning to completion, but it has been worth it. There is a huge demand for safe, secure and affordable housing in the area and Ottery Feoffee Charity is delighted to provide this for our local community. We thank everyone involved for helping this dream become a reality “
To commemorate the occasion, the Ottery St Mary community presented His Royal Highness with a locally carved Ottery Barrel End, which represents the flaming tar barrels being carried through the streets of Ottery on the 5th November. His Royal Highness was delighted to receive this wonderful memento. His Royal Highness also delivered a speech and unveiled a dedicated commemorative plaque, which has been mounted on the new almshouses.
The successful launch of Feoffee Rise expands the charity's housing portfolio, which currently manages modernised units across sites: Sherman House, Yonder Corner, and Robert Hone House. Looking to the future, the long-term vision of the Ottery Feoffee Charity remains fixed on exploring further opportunities for almshouse developments in Ottery St Mary, carefully crafted to support vulnerable and elderly parishioners for generations to come.
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