Aspire and The Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust has provided a specialist house in Buckingham for those paralysed through spinal injury.
The Buckingham house is Aspire's 22nd property and is much needed to support those from the area who have been spinally injured.
The house was formally opened on Thursday 6th October by local MP and Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow who welcomed its first tenant Brian Black.
Brian was paralysed in a motorcycle accident on 9th April this year and was unable to return to his own property after being discharged from hospital. Brian says, “The home I was in before my accident isn’t accessible. Unfortunately the local authority doesn’t have anything suitable for me at the moment to move in to. Aspire was able to help me and I am so grateful to them for providing me with accessible accommodation and somewhere I can call home until I find permanent accommodation.”
Providing accessible housing is one of Aspire’s key services, and it is still a major area of need. “Many patients are unable to be discharged from hospital, despite having completed their rehabilitation, because their own homes are inappropriate for wheelchairs and there is a lack of alternative accommodation. They face months of uncertainty and stress while they search for somewhere to live or arrange to have adaptations made to their house. This Aspire house will ease such problems for all its future tenants and will give their independence a massive boost” said Belinda Milrod, Aspire’s Housing Manager.
Matthew Applegate, Chief Executive at Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust added “The Trust welcomes the opportunity to work with Aspire on this worthwhile project. As a local housing provider we are committed to supporting our communities and improving lives and this initiative is a shining example of this approach in action.”
Aspire would like to thank Shoosmiths for raising the £25,000 needed to make the Buckingham Aspire House accessible.
Pictured left to right: Chris McKinney from Shoosmiths, Aspire CEO Brian Carlin, Rt Hon John Bercow MP, Sarah Lake from Shoosmiths and tenant Brian Black (front).