Our history and legacy

Introducing Pioneer Cottages, built in the 1890s

Proposals to build these affordable homes for rent caused somewhat of a stir in rural Kent when they were first suggested in the early 1890s. Key among the advocates of affordable and decent housing for local people was Dr L E Wood, who had been horrified by conditions of the homes he had visited when seeing patients. 

Dr Wood chaired the joint committee set up by Sevenoaks and Penshurst parish councils and several years later this delivered six houses featuring all the mod-cons of the day, ready to let with rents set at five shillings a week, about a quarter of the average income at the time. 

Pioneer Cottages form part of West Kent’s diverse housing stock across Kent and have since undergone significant modernisation over the years. Without the pioneering vision and sheer tenacity of individuals like Dr Wood back in the 1890s, these homes would not have been developed. 

West Kent began operating as a housing association, through a stock transfer from Sevenoaks District Council back in March 1989 and took over the management of Pioneer Cottages as part of this process. Over the last 35 years, West Kent has invested in homes and communities and has grown to provide over 8,500 homes across Kent.

Our mission and vision remain the same now as back in 1989, providing people with places to live and creating space for them to grow.

In our next story for our history and legacy theme, hear from Veronica, who has over 30 years of service at West Kent.

Veronica shares some of her experiences and memories from over the years and reflects on how West Kent’s values has helped shape services to residents and communities. 

Find out what Veronica had to say in our video:

We want to ensure our residents are involved in creating change and improving West Kent.

Residents are at the heart of all that we do. We have a close working relationship with our Resident Scrutiny Panel, which includes some of our involved residents. The panel works with us to help shape our services based on resident feedback. Over the years, the panel have reviewed a range of services, policies and procedures including anti-social behaviour, damp and mould, repairs and estate services.

Fen is one of the members of the scrutiny panel and has been a West Kent resident since 2003. In this video she shares her experiences over the years and how important resident feedback is to West Kent.

 

As part of our 35 years of West Kent campaign we're reflecting on the milestones that have shaped us over the years, including the impact of our sheltered schemes for our residents.

In 1990 our £2.5 million sheltered housing scheme Hollybush Court in Sevenoaks officially opened providing homes for around 50 residents over 55 or living with a disability. Hollybush Court has seen many adaptations over the years, and we have worked with residents to shape services and support options to best meet their needs. 

We caught up with current residents, John and Irene Wood who moved to the scheme in July 2021. Irene has dementia and the decision to move was daunting but as John explained, living at Hollybush Court made such a positive impact on their lives.

John shared his views on the difference it has made: “It has changed our lives completely, for the better. I’ve seen a change in Irene since day one and with her dementia she is happier now than ever before. The doctor said because she is happier, her life expectancy has increased by several years. Also, with the garden we’ve got a purpose in life; we can potter about, and everyone talks to us while we’re out there. The people that live here make it special. It’s hard to start over when you have got to move, especially when you’re older, but with West Kent the whole process was easy even in the Covid pandemic.”

Moving into a sheltered scheme has helped take the pressure off day-to-day life and support is there to help navigate changes and access different services. 

John continued to share: “If you report something like a repair, they come out and fix it. We have newsletters and meetings to tell us information we need to know. If we need to talk about something in confidence, we know it won’t go any further. Anything that is raised is followed up. I think it’s run on a fair basis for the benefit of everyone.”

We pride ourselves on collaborating with residents on how we can continue to improve our services. This has been part of how we have worked over the past 35 years and supports our plans for the years ahead.

Clare Mitchell, Extra Care Manager at Hollybush Court shared how the scheme makes a difference: ‘I’ve worked for West Kent since 1997 and have been involved in various schemes over the years. Hollybush is a wonderful place for our older residents. In many cases it’s feeling secure and included that makes the most difference, as well as knowing that there is someone there to help when needed. One of the great things about Hollybush Court is that the Age UK Day Centre is attached as an annex which provides services to the residents and wider community on weekdays.’

To find out more about our homes for over 55s, please visit www.westkent.org/find-a-home/homes-for-over-55s

With housing stability remaining a challenge for so many across the country, we remain committed to providing homes and communities our residents can be proud of.

Melvin Harwood, a resident for over 30 years, shares his journey from living in his car in Edenbridge to finding stability and a sense of community in a West Kent home.

In this video, Melvin reflects on how the compassionate and supportive nature of West Kent transformed his life.

35 Years of West Kent: What makes White Oak Court so special?

As part of our 35 years of West Kent campaign, we are reflecting on the milestones that have shaped us over the years, including the impact of our older persons' schemes on our residents.

White Oak Court in Swanley has been a vital part of the community for over 30 years. Since 2018, it has provided housing with extra care services, currently supporting over 56 residents. Our staff have worked collaboratively with residents to shape services to better meet their needs. Here, we delve into the stories of residents and staff at White Oak to uncover what makes it truly special.

Violet Charters, one of White Oak’s longest-serving residents, shares her experience:

“I have lived at White Oak for 23 years. The surroundings and all the people at White Oak are so nice here. I remember both meetings regarding catering and the care team being put in place. The reasons for the changes were explained, and we were able to ask any questions. I now use both these services, which have helped me stay in my home longer with the extra help.” She adds, “I would not swap it for any other place; White Oak Court is the best.”

Roy Watkins, a resident for almost a decade, also shares his views:

“I have been at White Oak for 9 years. Everyone here is friendly, and there is always someone around to chat with – lots of social activities throughout each month. And to know there is someone around to support when needed.”

He reflects on the support received during changes at White Oak:

“I have been here for service and going to extra care. During both times, West Kent held meetings to ensure we were always kept updated, listened to us, and supported us through these changes at White Oak.”

To gain further insight, we spoke with Michelle Whitlock, Extra Care Scheme Manager at White Oak Court, who has worked at West Kent for 22 years.

In response to the question of what makes West Kent such a special place to work, Michelle states:

“West Kent supports staff to learn and grow within the association. When I started 22 years ago, I was a cleaner at White Oak, which I enjoyed. Having a young family, it allowed me to work around school runs. I was then given the opportunity to further my career, moving from relief work and weekends to scheme assistant, and eventually becoming the scheme manager in 2016.”

She goes further to state, “Our commitment to providing excellent and adapted services has been at the heart of West Kent for the past 35 years. We have arranged for external agents to come into White Oak regularly to support both our residents and the wider community. We hold regular meetings to discuss any issues for both the residents and West Kent. Additionally, residents have their own committee meetings to organise social activities, and we support them in booking entertainment.”

The testimonials of Violet and Roy leave no doubt about the transformative benefits our extra care scheme has had on their day-to-day lives. We asked Michelle to share her firsthand experience of how these extra care schemes have made a difference to White Oak residents:

“Having been here for 22 years, I have seen residents move on due to White Oak not being able to support their needs. However, since we transitioned to extra care, our residents can remain in their own homes longer, thanks to the support from the care team and ourselves. We ensure meals are cooked daily, enabling all residents to join in with all activities within the scheme.”

Providing services that respond to the evolving needs of our residents and improve their quality of life has been central to West Kent over the last 35 years. Recalling the transition process for these upgraded extra care facilities, Michelle states:

“The transition to updated facilities at White Oak went smoothly. For the catering service, we involved all residents in the process. We arranged for a couple of residents to volunteer as spokespersons for the others. Feedback included visiting other sites to test food quality and participating in all outcome/discussion meetings to ensure residents received a home-cooked meal daily.”

We asked Violet, Roy, and Michelle to describe West Kent’s services and housing solutions in three words:

• Violet Charters: “Friendly, helpful, and safe.”
• Roy Watkins: “Comfortable, helpful, and safe.”
• Michelle Whitlock: “Supportive, friendly, and caring.”

The unique blend of a supportive community, dedicated staff, and comprehensive services makes White Oak Court a standout example of West Kent’s commitment to providing supportive housing.

To find out more about our extra care schemes, please visit www.westkent.org/find-a-home/homes-for-over-55s/extra-care-homes-across-kent