Beechway House Apex Housing Association

Award sponsored by

Best housing story

Beechway House – Apex Housing Association

In October 1994 Apex Housing Association opened Beechway House in the grounds of the Good Shepherd Convent in Derry’s providing a comfortable and secure home in the community to meet the physical, social, emotional, spiritual, educational and cultural needs of the sixteen residents who had spent the majority of their life living and working in convents across the island of Ireland. As part of the 20th anniversary celebrations, Nellie, Philomena, Vera and Mary Kate have produced a memory window and shared their housing story through a reminiscence project reflecting on their life at the Good Shepherd Convent and the last 20 years at Beechway House.

Beechway House offered a new home and the opportunity for a vulnerable group of people who had developed a close family bond to stay together and extend their current support networks beyond the church. It offered residents a new caring and supportive environment where choice and control was encouraged and the opportunity to interact socially for the first time in their adult life. Since coming to live in Beechway House residents spend time in enjoyable ways and do things for themselves within their home and the wider community. They have traced siblings and family members they were unaware of; go on holiday; take lessons in ball room dancing; attend IT classes; enjoy trips to the cinema and theatre; go on bus runs and attend creative art classes.

This submission in the category for Best Housing Story is a demonstration of Apex’s commitment to support vulnerable people towards more independent living allowing them to make choices and respond positively and creativity. The residents of Beechway House challenge the sterotype of what is generally suitable for a person of a certain age or disability.

Apex Housing Association and the staff at Beechway House have made a real difference to the lives of our residents. 20 years on decision making, participation, choice and control are embedded in day to day activities and life style choices made by Nellie, Kate, Mary Claire and Philomena.

Nellie’s Story………….. I can’t believe we are 20 years in Beechway. We came here on the 4th of October 1994. At the time it was sad to leave the Good Shepherd but I have made so many new memories here. I am a huge Man United fan. I also love musicals - Calamity Jane and Doris Day! Having Fun One day I decided to play a trick on the girls in the Good Shepherd laundry. I crawled behind the six roller calendar and grabbed one by the leg. The next minute I heard a shriek and as I looked up I saw I had caught one of the nuns by the leg instead! I was so embarrassed! I also remember that one of the dryers went onfire and singed everything! We had good craic, sure we were only young. My family means the world to me and it is great when we all meet up.

Philomena’s Story…………. I love Beechway. I enjoy getting out and about. Line dancing and singing are my favourite things. I am 80 years old and my secret to a happy life is always keeping my heart up! You need to keep interested in your clothes, get out and about and a sense of humour! I have always enjoyed Ken Dodd from an early age. I don’t know why, he just makes me laugh! Laurel and Hardy also. I came to the Good Shepherd from Newry when I was around 12. I made my confirmation in Newry. My mother worked in the Good Shepherd, Derry in the laundry. I was in Newry and she was in Derry. She was a hard worker and would have worked with the heavy blankets. She died before I came to the Good Shepherd. I always keep a photo of her. My first impression of Derry people were that they very friendly. Mary Kate and Vera were the longest at the convent.

Vera’s Story…………… I will be 80 years old in October this year. We are all great friends here in Beechway. We are here 20 years now. I love music and really like Dominic Kirwin. I also like nice clothes and sometimes the staff arranges for Bon Marche to come over and we would choose a nice outfit. I came to the Good Shepherd when I was 15 -16 years old from the Nazareth House. I worked the old gas irons in the laundry in the Good Shepherd. Weddings I washed the wedding dresses and pressed the wedding veils. You put your foot on the press and the veil twirled around. In those days wedding dresses were reused and passed on so it was my job to make them lovely again for each bride. They were mostly satin and silk. Some of the veils were long to the ground. I hadn’t many disasters but one time I burnt a sleeve but got it patched up quickly so you wouldn’t have noticed anything! Unfortunately the laundry closed down as there was no money to pay for the oil.

Mary Kate’s Story………. I am originally from Strabane, Co. Tyrone. This is a very special year as we are here at Beechway 20 years. I was one of the original ladies from the Good Shepherd. Vera, Philomena, Nellie and I are like sisters we go back such a long way. We have shared so many happy memories together here and at the convent. We know each other’s different ways, likes and dislikes. I was very pleased with my memory box. It brought some great memories back. Nellie, Philomena, Vera and Mary Kate’s housing story is one which is continuing to grow and change as Apex embraces its latest challenge to remodel its learning disability residential services to provide a new supported living service. This new service will bring a range of added benefits to the residents of Beechway House including improved design changes to their home, access to a wider range of income streams, increased rights as tenants and greater input as active citizens in making decisions.