Meet The Client!

Hopton Hopefuls are a group of older social housing tenants who live in Hopton Court tower block and are affiliated to the Greater Manchester Savers network.

Hopton Hopefuls came together because they needed change in their community. The gentrification of Hulme and the expanding city centre along mass increase in student accommodation have left older Hulme residents without access to social spaces. This has increased isolation which has impacted on residents physical and mental health. Services in the Hulme area like GPs and dentists, are stretched with the student influx. Most of the residents have lived in Hulme for many years and despite all of this they wish to stay. Hulme has always been a mix of cultures and communities: it is creative political, change-making and its always felt inclusive, until now. They feel forgotten as their neighbours are forced into care homes away from family and friends as there is no supported accommodation for older people in the area.

Hopton Hopefuls and GM Savers are trying to develop something called a ‘Naturally Occurring Retirement Community’ this would include a suitable community space being developed.

https://communitysavers.net/2021/03/creating-a-norc-at-hopton-court/

DAY 1

Connected Community is live! We started the day with introductions and an icebreaker game. Hannah set up a scavenger hunt where the team had to find random household items as fast as they could, it was a fun way to get to know each other!

This afternoon we introduced the wider team to the project. We researched Lifetime Homes Standards, Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities and accessible design precedents to understand the aging well in place ethos of the project. We finished the day with presentations from the team, showing what we have learnt. Some great diagrams were produced!

We are looking forward to Day 2!

Join us on Day 4 for our Guest Speakers and Workshop!

Who: Sophia de Sousa and Elly Mead

Practice: The Glass-House: Community Led Design

About: The Glass-House are a national charity dedicated to connecting people with the design of their places and connecting design with people.

The Glass-House has enabled people and organisations to work collaboratively to improve the design of their buildings, open spaces, homes, and neighbourhoods. They engage with live projects providing hands-on support, training and practical resources and constantly seek to experiment, innovate and inspire new thinking and debate through action research, events and knowledge exchange.


Find out more information about ‘The Glass-House’ here:

https://theglasshouse.org.uk/