At the end of September, we hosted our Annual Reception in the beautiful Ballroom at Bath Assembly Rooms. Our new CEO, David Hobdey and Chair of Trustees, Ben Fletcher, welcomed over 300 guests, and shared St John’s new strategic direction, which is set to tackle some of the community’s more pressing social issues.
We were treated to a heartfelt talk from local hairdresser, Eddie, of Eddie’s Street Cuts, who after experiencing some difficult years himself, managed to turn himself around and now, with a desire to ‘give something back’, provides free haircuts to Bath’s homeless community.
Our guests were also given a sneak preview of a new film we’ve commissioned called ‘A Roof Over My Head’. Created by local company, Meaningful Films, it shows the realities of homelessness and the incredible work that is being done by local organisations to help this issue.
The premiere will be held at Komedia on Wednesday 13 November and we would love you to join us. To book your free place please visit Komedia’s website here.
Set to help guide the charity’s work is our new Chairman of Trustees, Ben Fletcher.
Currently European Region Managing Director for Clarks, Ben and his young family have recently re-located to Bath.
With responsibility in his ‘day job’ for leading business across 27 markets, Ben brings vast commercial knowledge to St John’s. Additionally, as a trustee of the National Literacy Trust, which works with some the UK’s most disadvantaged communities, he is extremely well-placed for his new role at St John’s.
I am thrilled to be welcomed into the St John’s family. There are already some hugely exciting projects in the pipeline, and I am looking forward to helping the charity carve out the next five years of its strategic journey.
Having joined St John’s as Finance Director in 2016, David Hobdey stepped up to the role of interim CEO in the latter part of 2018. David’s measured, fair and thoughtful approach has made him popular with staff and trustees alike and consensus on his permanent appointment as CEO was unanimous.
David’s previous business career was finance-based, spanning professional practice, industry and commerce and the NHS.
Referencing the impact of budget cuts and deepening austerity on many parts of wider society, David said:
It is important that St John’s doesn’t rest on its ancient laurels – we need to be progressive and our activities must better reflect the times we live in by supporting a broader cross section of the community. I feel passionate about St John’s, its staff and all that it represents, and it is a great honour to have been appointed CEO.
We are a very lucky family to have found St John’s, as the care mum receives is literally saving her and helping to re-build what was a struggling family.
Our Accommodation
St John’s offers quality almshouse apartments based in the centre of Bath and Combe Park, adjacent to the RUH.
We currently have 96 almshouse apartments, creating a community, which supports and empowers people to be independent.
Independent Living Service
Our Independent Living Service is a person-centred service providing quality care and support which steps in when individuals need support to remain as independent as possible.
Being independent gives people a feeling of purpose and self-worth. Without independence, life can become meaningless. How many times have you heard someone say, ‘I don’t want to be a burden’?
The service is regulated under the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and is rated ‘good’.
Read our recent CQC Inspection report
What does it cost to live in an almshouse apartment?
Charges will vary depending on accommodation offered.
There is a weekly maintenance charge, which includes a rental charge, heating and water rates. The charge also covers general repairs, cleaning of communal areas, gardening and landscaping. Some people may be entitled to housing benefit.
Who provides the care?
The service is managed by our Head of Care and Community Services, who is registered with the Care Quality Commission. All our Independent Living Assistants receive a thorough induction process to equip them with the skills needed to provide effective care and support for our residents.
Our staff are passionate about the support they provide to people living in our apartments.
A quote from the recent CQC report, said,
People were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their Care.
What does it mean to live independently at St John’s?
First of all, we are not a Care Home, although we are regulated under CQC to provide personal care should people need it.
Our Living Independently Service means people get to live in their own homes, safe in the knowledge there is, if needed, support from neighbours, community and staff.
Additionally, support staff provide 24-hour cover, seven days a week.
Is there is social scene at St John’s?
Absolutely. Residents can be involved as much or as little as they wish.
Examples of the sorts of things on offer include; Curry & Quiz Nights, Themed Evenings, Musical Events, Book Clubs, Afternoon Teas – all of which are organised by the residents’ social committee. There is also activities facilitated by our community outreach team, which our residents can access, such as Silver Swans Ballet, Ukelele Club, Stitch groups and intergenerational groups.
Peggy’s Story
Peggy, a resident at St John’s Foundation, was admitted to hospital in November 2018 following a bad fall, resulting in a broken hip. This meant that Peggy was in hospital over the Christmas period. Staff were delighted that she was able to return to her home at St John’s in the New Year. The hospital was happy to release her knowing the care and support that would be provided for her by the Independent Living Service (ILS) at St John’s.
In May 2019, Peggy received an invitation to the wedding of good friend, and she was desperate to attend. Her fall the previous year had affected her confidence and she didn’t go out as much as she used to; although she really wanted to go to the wedding, she felt this was going to be a big challenge on her own. Step forward our ILS team leader, Paul, who was happy to accompany her.
Having Paul at her side, comforted Peggy and she had a wonderful afternoon attending the wedding service at Bath’s Guildhall, together with the reception in The Pump Rooms. Not least, the couple getting married were delighted that Peggy was able to attend.
CQC carried out an inspection of St John’s Independent Living Service in May 2019, concluding that the care we provide is ‘Good’ overall.
It was reported that,
Staff were kind and caring and care plans were person-centred and contained important information relating to people’s likes and dislikes. People were supported by staff who promoted their independence and provided care in a dignified and respectful manner.
You can read the full CQC Inspection Report here.
The last CQC inspection took place in October 2016, for which we also received a rating of ‘Good’. We are delighted to have maintained this rating and will continue to ensure the highest quality of care for our residents at St John’s.
The 2019 Vitality Goalden Globe Awards took place on Saturday 13th July as England Netball recognised and celebrated the fantastic contributions of their incredible volunteers.
Set in the picturesque St. George’s Hall, the event had a Vitality Netball World Cup flavour with each table named after a legend of the game.
Vitality Roses Kadeen and Sasha Corbin were also in attendance to hand out awards to the deserving recipients.
The Sheelagh Redpath Grassroots Official Award was won by our very own Hazel Nicholls, picking up the trophy following her great work with a number of club players at Paulton Rovers Netball Club mentoring them in preparation for their B and C Award and encouraging players to pick up a whistle and to give umpiring a go for the first time.
Congratulations Hazel!
On 4th June, a team from St John’s competed in the Mogers Drewett charity netball tournament- an annual mixed team competition for organisations across Bath to raise money for Dorothy House Hospice.
To give some perspective on our chances of winning, last year we managed to come last…
Clearly our pumped-up team were out to make amends and supporters were gripped as it went to extra time in both the semi -final and the final, with the ‘St John’s Dream Team’ going on to win by two clear goals!
Huge congratulations and thank you to our wonderful team – with special thanks to our netball-guru, Hazel Nicholls, for being such an inspirational coach and organiser.
On Friday 17th May, we joined forces with the fitness experts from Power 10 to host the ‘100 Second Challenge’ – an event to raise awareness of local charity, Sporting Family Change. For a small entry fee, participants were able to test their strength and endurance as they took on the challenge of hanging from a bar for 100 seconds.
Over 40 people from St John’s, Sporting Family Change and Power10 took up the challenge – with the same number cheering on their colleagues and friends from the side lines. Our courtyard was packed, with several members of the public drawn in to see what was happening.
Who knew that simply seeing if you could hang for 100 seconds from a metal bar, could engender such camaraderie, support and ‘togetherness’.
Commenting on the event, our Director of Funding and Impact, Louise Harvey said,
This was one of the most uplifting and life-affirming happenings we’ve ever had at St John’s. It was wonderful to see such a mix of abilities, ages and life situations, all united in raising funds for the great charity that is Sporting Family Change.
With over £675 raised in just two hours, we are already planning the next one!
Find out more about the Hangin’ Tough: 100 Second Challenge and all those involved by watching this short video produced by Meaningful Films.
Bishop of Bath and Wells visits Bath’s oldest charity to unveil their stunning new stained-glass window.
On Monday 29th April, residents, staff and trustees from St John’s Foundation gathered at the Chapel of St Michael’s Within for Bishop Peter Hancock’s service of dedication to the window.
A church building has stood on the Chapel Court site (adjacent to Bath Thermae Spa) since around 700AD, with the most ‘recent’ chapel, the Georgian-designed St Michael’s Within, just celebrating its 300th birthday; the commissioning of the new window seemed a fitting way of marking this tercentenary.
Designed and created by local company, Bath Aqua Glass, head designer Themis Mikellides explained to guests at the service how he had leapt at the chance of creating such a unique window for St John’s Foundation. And while the window is undoubtedly contemporary, the methods employed remain traditional.
We were able to use naturally occurring minerals found in the waters, such as copper and iron, to create the colour pigments in the glass” he said, “and glass discs were all blown by hand.
The new window proudly depicts both St John’s former incarnation as St John’s Hospital, together with the new St John’s Foundation of today: one panel features John the Baptist, drawing on the chapel’s Christian heritage, while the second panel features St John’s new logo and a myriad of circular discs, symbolising the bubbles within the City’s spa waters.
The design combines a theme of flowing water over a rectangular grid, which is reflected in the adjacent leaded windows currently housed in the chapel; it has been designed to create a visual sense of balance.
concluded Themis.
The resulting window is a striking meld of the old and the new, which also better reflects the ethos of the St John’s Foundation that exists today:
While many people in Bath are aware that St John’s Foundation has been offering almshouse and care provision since the 12th Century, fewer are aware of the organisation’s other charitable activities – last year alone, the charity awarded £2million in funding to local organisations and individuals in need of support. Additionally, their Community Outreach Service Programme, established in 2015, has made real inroads into tackling loneliness and isolation in the community.
Referencing the breadth of St John’s work during the church service, the Bishop urged everyone to show more compassion and love to one another – a timely reminder in current times.
At the close of the service, St John’s resident, Sue Roden, presented a beautiful, handmade cake depicting the new window, which was duly enjoyed by everyone present.
Let’s hope the chapel’s beautiful new window helps shine a light not only on the chapel’s interior, but also on the inequality and deprivation bubbling beneath the surface of our city.
We were thrilled to be one of ten local charities nominated for ‘Charity of the Year’ at the Bath Life Awards.
Whilst every charity nominated was a worthy winner, we were delighted to congratulate Southside Family Project and Bath City Farm for being the first ever joint winners of this annual award. Both organisations have such an incredible impact on our community and were deserved winners.
St John’s has funded and supported these two hardworking charities for many years and we are delighted to see the city-wide recognition of their work.
You can find a full list of winners here.
St John’s Foundation is delighted to support the roll out of Slow Shopping across the SouthGate shopping centre in Bath.
Slow Shopping is an initiative designed to help people who need a little extra support when visiting the shops, catering for individuals with anxiety or mental illness, those who struggle with communication or literacy, the elderly, those with dementia and all those who suffer from visible, invisible or intellectual disabilities. It’s really exciting because Slow Shopping is an inclusive project which is open to anyone!
Within SouthGate, a wide range of stores will offer a dedicated time each week where additional care will be available for any shoppers who need extra support.
The types of support provided range from specially trained staff, help points and chairs in stores to give shoppers the opportunity to rest while browsing, should they need it.
Slow shopping in SouthGate was launched on Wednesday 10th October 2018 and will be offered every Wednesday morning between 10am and 12 noon.
Nicole Jemson – Customer Engagement Manager, SouthGate Bath, said:
This has been a fabulous project to be a part of and we are delighted with how engaged the retailers are, they really understand that providing this valuable service encourages an environment where everyone feels comfortable to shop.
Slow Shopping was founded by Katherine Vero, following her experiences of shopping with her Mother as she developed dementia. Katherine has been working hard to roll out Slow Shopping across the country, and this partnership with SouthGate Bath will provide access to this valuable service to potentially thousands of shoppers in and around Bath, including our very own Almshouse residents.
