A stitch in time for Clanmil resident

One lady with a lifelong passion for fashion is 90-year-old Sadie Marshall. Sadie, who lives at Clanmil Housing’s Cedar Court independent living scheme in Whiteabbey, worked in the textile industry for most of her life, starting at age 14 and only retiring at age 75.

Recently Sadie spent a day reminiscing about her time as a machinist when she visited the Ulster Museum’s fashion exhibition along with some of her fellow residents as part of Clanmil’s new five-year Treasure House project.

Treasure House aims to help older people lead active lives and is being run by Clanmil in partnership with National Museums Northern Ireland thanks to a grant of almost £500,000 from the Big Lottery Fund.

Sadie is one of over 1,300 Clanmil residents throughout Northern Ireland enjoying days out to museum sites and opportunities to meet new people and try new activities. “We had a great day out and I really enjoyed looking at the clothing and even trying some on,” she said.

Sadie recalls how she spent most of her working life making hospital uniforms at Ewarts but had a spell during the war making garments for the Government.

“We had some great times,” she explained. “Life is very different now but I have a lot to be thankful for. The staff at Clanmil make sure there is always something going on to bring residents together. We have a lot of fun and friendship.”

Do you know of a housing development opportunity?

With the number of people in need of a home still growing, Clanmil Housing remains committed to the continuing provision of additional high quality, affordable homes throughout Northern Ireland.

Now owning over 3,500 properties, Clanmil has been very successful in sourcing high levels of private finance to stretch the public funding available to build new homes and has secured £195 million over the past five years. In the year ending 31 March 2013, Clanmil continued construction on 123 new homes and started work on a further 354. The supply of land is key to continuing to grow.

In order to ensure that it is well placed to provide more great homes, particularly in the current economic climate and difficult property market, Clanmil has established a growth team dedicated to actively sourcing development opportunities in areas of high housing need throughout Northern Ireland.

Carol McTaggart, Clanmil Group Director of Property and Asset Management, explains: “Clanmil is seeking new opportunities to provide social, affordable and equity share homes and we are keen to hear from anyone who knows of an available development site or existing properties that could help us meet housing need. We’re calling for site owners, developers and the owners of property portfolios to get in touch. We are also asking local political representatives to work with us to help identify sites which we can develop to provide great homes for the people they represent.

“We have streamlined our processes to be responsive to all opportunities and will keep vendors and agents up to date as we investigate the suitability of development opportunities.

“Clanmil is ready and willing to purchase sites that will help us create viable, vibrant communities in areas where the demand for housing is high. We are keen to do business.”

If you have a lead on a potential development opportunity please contact Siobhan Kennedy or James Wright at Clanmil on 028 9087 6018 or at siobhan.kennedy@clanmil.org.uk and james.wright@clanmil.org.uk