About The Richmond Charities

Our Values and Ethos

The Richmond Charities values and ethos make it clear that the charity has a broader vision than simply the provision of housing. Trustees, staff and residents commit to demonstrating the following values in our working and living together:

• That we have a preference for those who might be disadvantaged or in housing need.
• That we have respect for the whole person; their physical, emotional, social, mental and spiritual well-being.
• That we have a commitment to living in communities.

The Richmond Charities provides a vibrant, friendly and caring community where older people are encouraged to live full and active lives within the setting of high quality housing, support, comfort and security.

Our Almshouses

Almshouses are affordable homes that belong to a charity and are intended to provide accommodation for people who meet the charity's eligibility criteria. Residents are not tenants but instead pay a weekly maintenance contribution. Almshouses have existed for over 1,000 years. The Richmond Charities has been providing almshouse accommodation in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames for over 400 years.

The charity owns and manages 162 almshouses spread over 14 estates in Richmond, Twickenham and Mortlake. The largest estate has 50 almshouses and the smallest estate just three. Residents occupy the almshouses as beneficiaries of the charity. They pay a Weekly Maintenance Contributions which, for the majority of residents, is covered by Housing Benefit. All residents have Careline which provides peace of mind for residents and links directly to our Scheme Managers, one of whom is always on call, 24 hours a day. Most of our almshouse estates have communal laundry facilities for residents’ use. Most of the almshouses have one bedroom but there are a small number of two-bedroom almshouses at Manning Place.

Each almshouse estate is part of the large community of The Richmond Charities. The community is active and holds daily events and activities to keep residents physically, socially and mentally active. The Richmond Charities encourages a spirit of community by providing central activities and encouraging residents to set up and run their own groups and events. The monthly Your Almshouse Magazine is a key contributor to the sense of belonging.

While many people may be aware of the many ancient and fine almshouse buildings dotted all over the country, few perhaps realise how vibrant and progressive the almshouse movement is today. One of the biggest areas of expenditure is to modernise and update almshouse dwellings to provide 21st century living, by refurbishing listed buildings and so preserving our rich national heritage. Upgrading listed buildings is complex and expensive, requiring planning and conservation consent. Striking the right balance between offering the highest standards while preserving the historic fabric demands patience and close liaison with the authorities. Inevitably the cost of refurbishment is proportionately more expensive than a new build but the reward of living in a fine building that offers a high specification for the resident is self-evident. We are also very keen to build new almshouses and are delighted to announce that we have an active programme to deliver this strategic objective.

Standards of accommodation are continually rising, with technology playing an increasing part in making life easier. Disabled access, internet connection, and sophisticated alarms all contribute towards enabling residents to remain independent in their homes for as long as possible. Conversion of bed sits to single or double bedroom accommodation, walk-in showers and the provision of buggy stores are amongst the many improvements being provided.

Of greatest importance is ensuring that residents have dignity, freedom and independence to live their lives as they see fit within a safe and secure environment.

Find out more about our Almshouses.

Our Investment Properties

We are self-funded and have the benefit of 140 investment properties. Our investment portfolio is c.£40m in addition to the investment properties c.£100m.

The management and letting of these properties is run on the charity’s behalf by HML LAM.

Our annual income is c. £4.5m and our total assets are c. £140m.

The Chapel of Saint Francis

The Chapel has been part of Hickey’s Almshouses since they were built in 1834. It is now the Chapel for all of The Richmond Charities Almshouses. It is firstly a place of worship where Sunday services, prayers and special services are held. Details of these are published in the Your Almshouse Magazine on a monthly basis, as well as on posters placed on the different estates’ noticeboards. Residents of all Almshouses, relatives, friends and members of the general public are all welcome to attend Chapel Services. The Chapel is a place of social activities. Quiz Nights, Film Club, Bingo and various exercise activities are regularly held there. These are detailed in the Monthly Activities Leaflet delivered to all residents. The Chapel is a place of special events like The Annual Thanksgiving and Celebration Service, where we remember with thanksgiving the Charity’s Benefactors and celebrate our Almshouse community. The Chapel is a place of life events, like baptisms, weddings, and funerals.

The Richmond Charities employs a Chaplain, Rev'd Derrick Thompson, who works alongside the Scheme Managers and other staff to support residents and build up the community. He is a Church of England priest and takes regular services in the Chapel of St Francis at Hickey’s Almshouses. Our Chaplain is available to all residents who might like some emotional support or an opportunity to build a little space for reflection into their lives. You can find out more about our Chaplaincy here.

Your Almshouse Magazine

Download the latest version of Your Almshouse Magazine to get all the latest news and info on what is going on in our community.

Our Welfare Grants

The Richmond Charities runs two small welfare charities which support those in need in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. These charities are:

• Richmond Aid in Sickness Fund
• Misses Thomson & Whipple Charity

The Richmond Charities also receives a grant each year from the Henry Smith Charity to distribute to people in need.

The Richmond Charities (and assets from the Richmond Philanthropic Society, now subsumed into The Richmond Charities) gives funds to other local charities and organisations in the Richmond borough to distribute on behalf of The Richmond Charities, reaching those in the greatest need across the borough.

Our Organisational StructureThe charity employs a staff team of 14 to assist the Chief Executive with running the finances, administration, property (both almshouses and investment properties), general maintenance and supporting the wellbeing of residents.

The staff employed on the almshouses estates consists of a chaplain, 6 scheme managers, health & safety officer and caretaker. The role of the scheme managers is to look after the almshouse estates and act as a facilitator, monitoring the well-being of their residents, and to call in the appropriate services when required.

Our Governance

Our active board of Trustees is responsible for the charity’s strategic governance and comprises 12 people who live or work locally and who give of their skills, time and experience to support the Chief Executive. Our board of trustees oversee all aspects of the charity including our almshouses, community and welfare grants and are also responsible for the charity’s historical endowed assets made up of our property and investments. The board meets once every two months in Richmond.

There are also regular meetings of the sub-committees: Finance Committee, Property Committee, Welfare Committee, Risk Management Committee and the Safeguarding Group.