Aspire, a national charity that provides practical help to people who have been paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury, will launch two new accessible homes on Thursday 14^th August at 2pm in Southwark, in partnership with Affinity Sutton.  The homes will be officially opened by The Rt Hon Lord Tebbit.

Every eight hours, someone in the UK is paralysed by a spinal cord injury.  Due to the general lack of accessible housing in the UK, many spinal injured people face the prospect of delayed discharge, being discharged into nursing homes or having to live in unsuitable housing.  Unsuitable housing can mean anything from returning to a house where they will have to wash in the kitchen because the bathroom is inaccessible, to only being able to leave the property when friends or family are around to carry them out to the pavement outside. 

Aspire Houses, located around the UK, are used on a short-term basis whilst a permanent housing solution is found.  It might be that someone’s own property is being adapted, or that they are waiting on their local authority to find them something suitable.  Meanwhile, by staying in an Aspire House they can be back amongst their friends and family, free to get on with their lives.

Julie Schoon, Director of Care and Support at Affinity Sutton, said: “We are really pleased to be delivering these two new accessible homes along with Aspire, which we know will provide an invaluable resource to those in significant need.”

Brian Carlin, CEO of Aspire, commented: “We are delighted to be working with Affinity Homes and to be able to launch two houses in Southwark.  89% of spinal injured people are forced to live in inaccessible accommodation after they leave hospital.  Aspire helps people live an independent life by providing temporary homes with fully accessible features for them to live in whilst their permanent accessible housing is arranged.”

 

Notes to Editors

If you would like to attend the launch, or for further information, please contact Laura Haynes, Communications Manager at Aspire, on 020 8420 8957 or email [email protected]

Aspire is a leading national charity that provides practical help to people who have been paralysed by spinal cord injuries.  For more information, visit www.aspire.org.uk. Aspire is Registered Charity Number 1075317

Affinity Sutton

With 57,000 homes and a one hundred year history, Affinity Sutton is one of the biggest providers of affordable housing in England. As a business for social purpose we’re committed to helping people put down roots.