Celebrating inspirational people with a disability

At Reside With Progress our new supported living developments demonstrate our commitment to providing high quality housing for people with support needs. The naming of these new housing schemes is also a great opportunity for us to celebrate inspirational people with disabilities.

Our new build in Carlton, commissioned by Nottinghamshire County Council is due for completion in the Autumn and we intend to name it Annear Place, after Andrea and Paul Annear. They were one of the first couples with learning disability to get married in the UK back in September 2004.

Andrea and Paul first met at Ormerod Children’s Home in St Annes on Sea in Lancashire. They were childhood sweethearts and were determined to marry but they were living apart, Paul at Ormerod which had become an adult centre, and Andrea in a secure community house nearby. Andrea first asked if they could get married in 1996 and three years later, they were allowed to have a blessing in 1999. But as they were Christians, they both very much wanted a formal church wedding. Eventually, the then director of Ormerod, Sue Sharples, intervened and helped them to fulfil their dream and they were married in 2004. They have both now sadly passed away.

To commemorate the Annears, we will be holding a naming ceremony and installing a plaque on completion of the development.

The scheme is a short-term let service for up to 12 young adults for up to 18 months before they move on to more permanent supported living accommodation. The new building will feature a mix of fully adapted shared and self-contained accommodation over two floors. All of the tenants will receive support from an on-site care provider to develop their independent living skills.

Councillor Boyd Elliott, Chairman of Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Supported living offers people with disabilities the opportunity to live as independently as they can in the community with the safety and security they need. This is the first scheme that will have a mixture of both shared units and self-contained flats, which offer different options for people who are either making their first steps towards independent living or those who are leaving hospital or residential care and need to relearn skills before they return home.

 “The location of Annear Place makes it ideal for people to access shops, amenities and transport links. It’s an exciting opportunity that will undoubtedly offer many people with the stepping-stone they need to live a fulfilling and independent life.”

Daniel Griffiths, Group Director of Development at Progress Housing Group said: “We are delighted to work with Nottinghamshire County Council to build this much needed specialised supported housing development. Not only will it give independence to people with a learning disability, autism and enduring mental health conditions, it will also reduce the demand for institutional care. What’s more, it’s a fitting tribute to a couple who paved the way for those with a learning disability."