Page 25 - C.A.L.L. #43 - Winter 2017

Sheila has just returned from a co-housing conference in Berlin where she accepted an award from their
peers on OWCH’s behalf. She joined OWCH 15 years ago. “When I came back to London after my family
had all died, I thought I must find some community,” she explains.

‘We are al here for this purpose’
Each woman had to learn about each other, such as who prefers to sleep in later and who likes to get up
early. “You [had to] get to know the habits of everybody so that you don’t encroach,” Sheila explains. But
everyone is in a rhythm now. “It’s very moving actually, getting to know about everybody, because we
are all here for this purpose, this intentional community.

“I think it does help to know that we are all looking out for each other. We do everything in teams or
pairs. It’s getting easier all the time.”

An older community filled with independent, healthy and happy residents is one that places less of a
strain on social care and health services. Maria has spent years trying to persuade policymakers of the
myriad benefits of developing senior co-housing in England, both for people and the state.

1998: The year it al began
After researching the senior co-housing model implemented in Holland, she led a workshop in 1998
about collaborative living for older women. Inspired by her findings, six women who knew each other
went off to a pub afterwards and said: let’s do it. “That was the beginning of the Older Women’s Co-
Housing group,” Maria explains.

OWCH met regularly for the next two decades, building their vision of living together as helpful and
caring neighbours in a mutually supportive community. But they endured a number of setbacks along
the way. Sites would fall through. Housing associations would lose interest. Councils would argue there
was already an abundance of sheltered housing in the area, to which they would always get the same
unequivocal response: “We are not sheltered housing”. Nor are they to be confused with a retirement
village.

The residents of New Ground, who all know each other, are completely in charge of maintaining the
complex. Women living there are aged between 51 and 88; there is no upper age limit. Some still work.

The blueprint for the future
One of OWCH’s core values is promoting a community which looks out for each other. Eight years
before New Ground was born, one of the group underwent heart surgery and was told she would have
to spend three weeks in hospital because she lived alone. Keen to get home, she reached out to OWCH.
Members rallied round and devised a rota to stay with her at home for the first week, do her shopping
and cook meals. At the time, a doctor estimated this had saved the NHS somewhere between £4,000
and £7,000.

Almost one year in, they are an inspiring model for the 12 groups across the UK now trying to start their
own senior co-housing communities.

Preparations for a weekly dinner are in full swing in the communal kitchen before I leave. On the menu
this evening is pasta with ricotta and spring vegetables followed by fruit crumble. Hedi, the oldest
resident and one of tonight’s chefs, is busy making the crumble topping. “I love it here,” she says smiling.
“How could you not?”

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