Countryside Properties : Communities Fund completes £2,500 refurbishment of John West House garden in Maidenhead

Countryside, the UK's leading mixed-tenure developer, has improved the garden at John West House in Maidenhead for residents, thanks to a £2,500 donation from the Countryside Communities Fund.

John West House is owned by the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead and provides a comprehensive support service that helps vulnerable people sleeping rough into long-term, sustainable accommodation.

An opportunity was identified to improve the garden for residents to enjoy in the summer months, as well as using it to grow plants and vegetables for use in their meal preparation at the house. The funds from the Countryside Communities Fund were used to appoint an arboricultural consultant to remove and cut back the overgrown trees and vegetation, while volunteers from Countryside carried out the work.

The Countryside Communities Fund, set up in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, is supporting local charities and groups, food banks and others providing essential local services in locations where Countryside operates across the country. The Communities Fund allocated £1m of funds at the end of 2020 and another £1m has been pledged by the business in 2021 to continue supporting communities most vulnerable.

This funding follows a £5,000 donation that was made in 2020 from the Countryside Communities Fund to the Thames Hospice, a charity for adults in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire requiring respite, therapy, emotional support and end of life and palliative care.

Daniel King, Managing Director, Partnerships West London & Thames Valley, Countryside, said: 'Through our Communities Fund we're proud to support John West House, which makes such a valuable contribution to Maidenhead. In partnership with The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead we are committed to the area's success; achieving this by not just building new homes and amenities but actively playing our part in the community.'

Councillor Ross McWilliams, Cabinet Member for Housing, Sport & Leisure and Community Engagement, added: 'It's great to see the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead and Countryside working together to improve outdoor facilities for the guests at John West House. The new garden area will create new opportunities for our former rough sleepers to learn green skills and use the space for quiet reflection.

'The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead has come a long way in improving its support for our vulnerable people sleeping rough. The holistic support services provided at John West House have been crucial in helping our residents into longer term, sustainable solutions. This is a welcome improvement to the facilities at John West House and will further contribute to the important work we are doing.'

Countryside is delivering Watermark, the £94 million regeneration scheme on the banks of Maidenhead Waterways, in partnership with the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead. Located in York Road, Watermark is delivering 229 new homes, of which 88 are affordable, as well as the regeneration of Library Square with 20,000 sq ft of restaurant, café and community space, which will extend out onto terraced seating with views of York Stream.

Watermark is the first development of the Royal Borough Development Partnership, a joint initiative between the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead and Countryside. The Partnership is developing four sites in the town - York Road, Saint-Cloud Way, West Street and Reform Road.

Construction of Watermark began in March 2019, with the first residents moving into the development this spring.