Opening of six modern Almshouses at Creeting St Mary - 3rd October 2024 3pm
The Vice Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, Robert Rous, will formally open six new Almshouses on charity land in Creeting St Mary. This will complete a modern transformation of almshouses provided by the local charity, Needham Market & Barking Welfare Charities.
The Charity comprises the historic "Town Lands" that is thought to have started after 14th century enclosures and includes the Camping Land near the railway station, and the historic "Almshouse" charity that is thought to derive from the time of Henry VIII when the town took over responsibility for looking after its poor residents after monasteries were abolished.
In the project's first phase, in 2007, the Almshouse charity sold two existing almshouses on the High Street, as they were increasingly obsolete. One had been repaired in 1836, and the other endowed in 1858. They were replaced with two modern almshouses with a total of four flats within the Drift Court complex run by Orwell Housing Association. These were designed for the elderly, and were named after the principal 19th century benefactors, Alexander and Maws. The Alexander family were famous in Needham Market for starting a provincial bank that ultimately became Barclays Bank.
The Almshouse charity still retained land in Creeting St Mary, originally endowed to provide an income to residents including a yearly supply of coal for cooking and heating in the days before State benefits.
In the project's second phase, this land has been developed in association with Ruby Homes, local builders, to provide the Almshouse charity with six additional units. Uniquely, the trustees' Vision was to accord more with the charity's general Objects: "to benefit local residents in need of sheltered accommodation". Thus the new units will target younger family needs, together with bungalows designed to be wheelchair-friendly.
The charity's working relationship with Orwell Housing Association will continue, as they have been appointed to manage both sites, but with the charity retaining the right to nominate its residents.
