What it’s like to live with us

We believe that life is something that we do together and so we create space and opportunity for a peaceful but stimulating life in the safety and security of a Christian community.

Our faith is at the heart of all we do and supporting older Christians, and those sympathetic to the Christian faith, to continue their spiritual journey is central to life with us.

Our communities are all centred on the Christian faith and a belief that every person is created and treasured by God.

We call those who live with us 'family members', especially those living in our care homes. Our communities are often a special kind of family - sharing space and life together as much as we choose. This is particularly true because we consider ourselves to be part of God's big family!

Being rooted in our faith means that much of what goes on in our homes and housing revolves around Christian routines and practices.

Whether that's as simple as saying grace before eating, or as precious and significant as praying with someone as they move towards the end of life, our faith shapes our approach to everything we do. All our homes and housing have regular devotions, often led by those who live with us, and weekly or monthly services. These are often led by volunteers from local churches and will regularly include sharing in communion together.

Our homes are places where family members can relax and do the things they want to do, whether that’s reading the newspaper, pottering in the garden or joining in with one of the activities organised by our Activities and Community Engagement (ACE) Facilitators. This could be anything from an armchair trip to France including Monet-style painting and a tour of the Eiffel tower, dressing up for a mocktail party or staying active with skittles and beanbag games.

When you choose to live in one of our housing schemes, you’ll be joining a vibrant Christian community with the peace and independence that comes with your own space.

At our independent living housing schemes, those who live with us enjoy the encouragement that comes from living alongside other Christians. Regular collective devotions sessions – including a talk, prayer, singing and social time – are all part of life with us. Visiting clergy and volunteers support the spiritual life of our homes.

It’s up to the individual to decide how much they participate in communal spiritual activities. Those living with us tell us that the opportunities for Christian fellowship in later years is one of things they value most about living with us.

All of our housing schemes have strong links with local churches and our managers and others living at the scheme will be happy to help residents find a church.

At all of our housing schemes we provide:

• access to a 24-hour emergency call centre

• a manager who oversees the daily running of the scheme and can signpost you in the direction of local amenities (transport links, GP surgeries, libraries etc), as well as local churches. Where needed, our managers can also assist with administrative activities such as form-filling.

• a maintenance team who take care of communal areas and gardens. If your property is rented, they will also take care of its maintenance.

For those who need a little extra support with daily tasks, we offer a range of wellbeing packages which include help with household chores like cleaning, laundry and ironing. At some schemes, meals can also be provided.