At Housing 21, our schemes are vibrant communities with residents from across the country and beyond. Among those is Zohra who lives in one of our Retirement Living schemes in Ilford. 

“I moved into the scheme 11 years ago and really enjoy living here,” she said.   

“There are lots of activities, including a games afternoon, I can take part in if I want to and our Local Housing Manager is very supportive.” 

A keen gardener, Zohra spends a lot of her time during the warmer months in the schemes garden.  

“I’ve always loved gardening and one of the best things about the scheme is that we have a big garden,” she said. 

“We are lucky enough to have a pond so myself and other residents can be found outside watching the dragonflies and hedgehogs.” 

Since moving into the scheme, Zohra has become a prominent part of the community even inviting other residents to join her as she does chair-based Tai Chi.  

“I travelled a lot in my life and always love meeting new people, learning about them, and hearing their views,” said Zohra.  

“I like spending time with other residents. I’m a widow and find it nice to talk to other residents about their loved ones who have passed. We can share each other’s grief by reminiscing but not burdening each other.  

“Every Friday, we come together in the communal space to exercise. We’re a multi-cultural community so we start by greeting each other in our native language then we do some breathing exercises followed by Tai Chi. Everyone puts 50p in a jar to participate and then we give that money to a charity.” 

Residents living in Housing 21’s Retirement Living schemes enjoy the privacy of their own home with full access to a range of communal facilities, including a residents’ lounge, gardens and a laundry. Some schemes also have guest rooms available for family and friends.