07 October 2020
Summary:At Metropolitan Thames Valley (MTVH), we’re committed to making a positive impact on people’s lives – by building more homes for those in need of a place to live, and working to serve all of our customers better every day.
To mark #HousingDay 2020, the annual social media event aimed at celebrating the positive impact of social housing, we’re sharing the stories of Kavi, Florence and Esz – just a few of our customers whose lives we’re helping to change for the better.
Kavi’s story
Kavi, who lives in a supported scheme in London, believes MTVH saved his life not once, but twice – by providing him with a home where he could recuperate after serious illness.
When he received life-changing news about his health, Kavi and his wife, Lata, were devastated. Their flat had become unaffordable and he desperately needed a place to stay to follow his treatment plan.
Kavi searched and searched – for a bedsit, or even a room. When they found an advert for the supported housing provided by MTVH and realised they were eligible, they were elated. It was an emotional time when they were given keys to their new home.
After moving in, Kavi had two minor heart attacks.
“We were extremely lucky to be living here – it would have been so much more traumatic if we’d not had this home. Because we live in a supported scheme, we were able to quickly call for help and an ambulance came. It was a life-saver.
“We’re very independent, but we know that there’s always someone looking out for us. It’s a blessing,” he says.
Florence’s story
After renting for 17 years, Florence, a nanny who works for a family in Kew Gardens, longed for space and privacy in a home of her own. She needed to live close to work, but the high property prices in the area made it impossible for her to buy a home outright.
The opportunity to buy a share of a home she could call her own came up in Twickenham, at a new development by MTVH’s So Resi. Combined with the modern design of the development, its great location provided the ideal solution.
“My home is amazing, I love it. Before, I was sharing with people and I was used to doors banging and waiting for the bathroom. I spent most of my time in the bedroom, but now I have a great open-plan living space, where I can relax and watch TV. My bedroom is now my sanctuary, only for sleeping. Buying a home has transformed my life,” she says.
Esz’s story
MTVH also provides convenient, affordable homes for some 1,600 NHS key workers across nine housing schemes in the UK.
“Following the Covid-19 pandemic, providing a comfortable home for key workers to relax and re-charge in is more important now than ever,” says Anita Green, an accommodation officer at our Hammersmith Hospital key worker housing scheme.
Esz, who lives in one of our keyworker schemes, says: “As a healthcare worker you feel responsible for your patients and their families during ‘normal’ times, but for me, personally, this responsibility has increased throughout the pandemic.”
“With this kind of stress, it’s been easy for me to walk to work without the worry of taking public transport; that’s a huge plus and has made all the difference. I appreciate living here. It’s very important for me to have a ‘safe space’ I can call home and it’s reassuring to know MTVH is there.”