The housing crisis: putting faith into action

Dorothy Hamilton reports on how Friends in Britain have been putting Quaker property to good use in imaginative social housing projects

by Dorothy Hamilton 1st May 2015

Winchester Meeting is housed in a large, late-eighteenth-century building, set in a beautiful garden, close to the historic city centre. Its upper two floors are occupied by a warden’s flat and seven rooms, which are let to residents who have housing needs. In fact, the house was purchased, in 1973, with the express purpose of serving this dual use. The purchase was driven by the vision of Friends who were aware of the severe housing needs around them, even in a relatively privileged city. Following a recent refurbishment of the building, our project has been given a fresh lease of life.