Posted 2.2.10

New Accessible Housing

In January 2010 Aspire, the spinal injury charity opened a house in Hirwaun, offering more people with a spinal injury with chance to enjoy fully accessible accommodation while adaptations are being carried out to their own homes. The house has been developed in partnership with Cynon Tâf Community Housing Group. The Welsh Assembly also assisted with the purchase of the property. The home was formally launched by local MP Ann Clwyd.

The home already has its first tenant, 17 year old Thomas Matthews, who will live in the Aspire house while his family home undergoes adaptations to make it accessible for him and his wheelchair. Thomas attended the launch and showed everybody around his new home, including the level access shower and specially adapted bathroom and kitchen.

The launch event offers all who have been involved with developing the house, including staff from Aspire, Cynon Tâf Community Housing Group and the Spinal Centre in Cardiff, the chance to view the finished product.

Antonia Forte Acting Chief Executive of Cynon Tâf stated that “Cynon Tâf Community Housing Group is delighted to have been involved in providing this much needed facility, which complements the work we do with RCT County Council's Pathways to Adapted Housing programme. The capital cost of adapted housing that meets the needs of people with a physical disability is more than compensated by the savings to statutory health and social care budgets, whilst also improving the quality of life for individuals. We have enjoyed working with, and hope to continue our involvement with Aspire”

Head of Service at Aspire, Alex Rankin explains the significance of this new development: “So many people with spinal cord injury find that they cannot return to their old home because it’s not suitable for their wheelchair. Instead, they face months of uncertainty while they search for somewhere to live or arrange to have adaptations made to their house. This Aspire house will help ease such problems for all its future tenants and will give their independence a massive boost”.

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Unit 4,
Navigation Park,
Abercynon,
Mountain Ash
CF45 4SN
Phone: 0345 2602633
Fax: 0345 2602634
Email: ctha@cynon-taf.org.uk

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