NRHA brings great grandma close to family

Great grandma Jean Perry has the reassurance of living close to her extended family after moving into a brand new home.

Jean applied for one of five homes for affordable rent completed by Northamptonshire Rural Housing Association last year in the village of Yarwell.

And the 79-year-old says the development has enabled four generations of her family to keep in touch and support each other.

Jean explains: “I was living in Hampshire but my husband died seven years ago and I started to suffer some health problems.  My daughter, Caroline, was worried about me living so far away if I needed help.

“She knew about the new houses which were being built by NRHA in Yarwell and encouraged me to apply for one.  When I was told my application had been successful, I was over the moon.”

Jean moved into a two-bedroom bungalow on the new development, as she was finding it increasingly difficult to get up and down stairs.

She now lives within a stone’s throw of Caroline and her husband, and close to her grand-daughter, Kayley, her husband, David, and their two young children, who also snapped up one of the brand new homes.

Jean says: “I have a number of health problems and, although I try to do things for myself, it’s very reassuring to know that my family are so close.

“Caroline lives just over the fence and comes round every day to make sure I’m ok, and my grand-daughter often pops round and takes me to collect my pension.  It’s just ideal for us all.”

Jean, who has an eight-year-old Border Terrier called Oscar, has already got to know lots of people in the village.

“Everyone is really friendly,” she says.  I try to walk Oscar twice a day and we meet lots of people on our walks.  I think I know more people than my daughter does now!

“I love my new home and it’s brought me great peace of mind.”