Hope Cohousing – a community interest company – is working with the Communities Housing Trust to establish a small cohousing project for older people in St Margaret’s Hope, Orkney as a lasting community benefit. There will be six new, eco-aware, affordable rental homes for people wanting to live independently and build a supportive community. It will have shared amenities, a garden….and hens.
Find out more about the project; become a Friend of Hope Cohousing.
Meet-up
Want to discuss the project? Our next monthly get-together will take place in January. Details will appear here soon. Contact us if you are thinking of coming or have questions about HCH.
The December meet-up was in a new venue for us – Ben End in St Margaret’s Kirk – and we were joined by a Councillor and a Community Councillor. Our thanks to James Moar and Roger Jackson for their time and for sharing ideas and advice – and to the church for providing us with a great meeting room. [December 8, 2024]
In the news
Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year. Our December Newsletter is now online. Click to view.
Ageing in place. A new report published by Housing Lin and Ipsos on Older People’s Housing Preferences makes some important points about the direction that policymakers should be taking. In particular, they stress the significance of ageing in place; developing age-appropriate housing options; and addressing barriers to moving and downsizing (what we like to call ‘rightsizing’). Click to download. [December 10, 2024]
Cohousing Scotland’s December Newsletter. This month’s edition includes articles on thinking about loneliness at Christmas; the Lenzie Cohousing story; and the forthcoming Scottish Parliament event on community responses to the housing emergency. Plus news from other Scottish cohousing groups. Click to download. [December 9, 2024]
A big thank you to everyone who donated to the HCH collection for the Scot Baby Box Appeal and a shout out to Northwards for their support. Good to know all these blankets and warm clothes will get safely to the charity to help children and young people in Ukraine. [November 27, 2024]
Understanding the housing crisis in Scotland – and the actions we must take to put things right. We have witnessed a long-running and comprehensive failure in housing policy across Britain. Scotland’s record is better than that seen south of the border – but is now in danger of failing badly. This article explores the situation in Orkney and uses it to examine what is going wrong across Scotland and what can be done so that all can have decent homes. It includes a section on Hope Cohousing [November 11, 2024]
Building to Passivhaus Standard: Can we afford not to? Norrie MacPhail makes the case for high standards for new homes in Scotland in Cohousing Scotland’s November Newsletter plus lots of news from other Scottish cohousing initiatives. [November 9, 2024]
Click for more HCH news.
Resources
Featured article: Why cohousing is good for people and communities – the evidence. [Updated January 2024]
Creating a cohousing project: Materials and videos exploring different aspects of putting together a cohousing project.
St Margaret’s Hope: Find out more about the village, local services and attractions.
For more about other cohousing groups in Scotland click on the Cohousing Scotland logo below.