Tag: Bield Housing and Care

Age is just a number as 81-year-old completes 81-mile hike

David raises over £2k for Scottish charity, Calum’s Cabin

EMBARKING on a daunting 81-mile journey, an 81 year old has proved that age is just a number by completing a walking challenge over 10 days, battling wind and rain throughout. 

Inspired by a young girl with a life-limiting condition, David Levin, a tenant at Bield Housing and Care’s Dean Court development in Bo’ness, took on the Scottish elements in support of Calum’s Cabin and in honour of Chiara Petersen Fox.  

David walked an average of eight miles each day over the course of 10 days, with his feet taking him from Bo’ness to Longniddry and back again. He successfully completed his challenge on Tuesday 9th April with a total of £2,070 raised so far.

13 year old Chiara Fox, the granddaughter of David’s golfing buddy, Harry Petersen, was diagnosed with a rare life-limiting condition as a baby.

David set off on this challenge to help raise awareness for both the support Calum’s Cabin provides and Chiara’s condition.

David said: “There have been a few tough days, but quitting was never an option. Perhaps others will think, ‘well if that old guy can do it, why can’t I?’, and take the first step, the hardest of all.

“I love to chat. I believe it’s an essential component of a healthy life and I’ve had a great time walking under Chiara’s banner for Calum’s Cabin.”

David was joined by local residents, Bield staff, Chiara and her family, as well as friends including former professional footballer turned GP, Kenny Deuchar, also known as Dr. Goals. 

Local restaurants and cafés along the route kindly provided David with free lunches and hot drinks to keep his spirits high.

At just 8 months old, Chiara was diagnosed with the rare condition MPS1 H, also known as Hurlers. Since then, she has undergone extensive medical procedures including two spinal fusion surgeries, two bone marrow transplants and bilateral hip reconstruction. 

Chiara’s mum, Michelle Petersen, said: “It’s been so great to see David complete this challenge, Chiara is an inspiration to everyone she meets! We’ve been able to join David at the start and end of his walk, we’re thrilled he chose to walk for Chiara and Calum’s Cabin.”

Money raised from David’s hike will go towards Calum’s Cabin, to help provide respite for children like Chiara with serious illnesses.

Calum’s Cabin was inspired by Calum Spiers and founded by his parents, Duncan and Caroline, and twin sister, Jenna, after Calum passed away from an inoperable brain tumour in 2007. 

Calum’s Cabin provides free holiday accommodation for children with cancer and their families on the Isle of Bute, East Coast and in Ayrshire. They also offer “home from home” flats in Glasgow when families with children suffering from cancer have to relocate for intensive treatments and clinical trials.

Caroline said: “We love to hear of the memories made by families who have stayed at Calum’s Cabin, and we are honoured that David chose to walk for us.

“Many families who have children with cancer are required to travel from all over Scotland to Glasgow’s primary treatment centres for specialist care. The mounting cost of travel and accommodation is often a huge burden for families, adding even more stress and worry to their lives.

“The money David has raised will go towards supporting these families to enjoy a stress-free break.”

Throughout his journey, David kept a daily blog to keep contributors up to date with his whereabouts and how he was getting on.

David was supported by Bield staff who helped to create a manageable walking route along the John Muir Way. To ensure David was well rested after each day of his journey, they also hosted him at Bield properties along the route. 

Tracey Howatt, Bield’s Director of Customer Experience, said: “Everyone at Bield is so proud of David for completing this incredible challenge and it’s been great to hear from the team that have joined him.

“We’re continually amazed by the charitable nature of our tenants. David has been a true inspiration and hopefully he can now enjoy a well-deserved rest!”

Bield is devoted to delivering flexible housing solutions and support services designed specifically for older people.

To read David’s blog from his 81-mile journey, visit here: https://www.bield.co.uk/blogs/

To donate and find out more, visit: https://bit.ly/just-giving-walkie-talkie

To find out more about Bield, please visit https://www.bield.co.uk/ or follow them on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland

Bield launches new digital hub

A NEW digital hub in West Lothian showcasing housing technology of the future won Bield stakeholder approval after its official launch last week.    

Following a tenant sneak-peek in March, Bield Housing and Care has officially opened the Bield Tech Hub in Linlithgow, having secured £75k of funding through the TAPPI project.   

The launch allowed stakeholders, including local health and social care partnerships, staff and other housing associations, to trial and give feedback on digital care advancements of the future. 

The Bield Tech Hub consists of four spaces including two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, one kitchen space and one living space. There is also a consultation room and a dining space. Each room has been fitted out with different technologies for people to test. 

Stakeholders were welcomed to the space by Dr Lynne Douglas, Bield CEO, who said: “We are delighted to have officially opened the Bield Tech Hub and we’re sure it will bring life-changing technology to West Lothian and further afield. It was fantastic to give our stakeholders and project partners the opportunity to see first-hand what their support has facilitated.   

“It’s very important that people get the chance to familiarise themselves with this incredible tech made available through the TAPPI project and get a true insight into housing of the future.” 

The Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI) project aims to improve the way technology is used in housing and care for older people.  Led by the Housing Learning and Improvement Network (Housing LIN), the TEC Services Association (TSA) and funded by The Dunhill Medical Trust, TAPPI seeks to address the opportunity that technology has to enhance the lives of our ageing population and the barriers that prevent its adoption. 

The funding will give Bield the unique opportunity to work with tenants, staff and partners to gain insight into a range of devices, apps and systems across a variety of housing settings.  With co-production at its heart, Bield staff and tenants will have shared responsibility to produce digital services to support independent living – a first for the Scottish housing charity. 

The Bield Tech Hub features three main technologies.  The first, Anthropos, uses predictive and analytical technologies to map individuals’ daily routines and sends insights to family or staff.  If abnormal action is detected, Anthropos intervenes to prevent a crisis moment from occurring.  This supports independent living for as long as possible by proactively averting potential injury or danger. 

Aquarate drinking cups, which track individuals’ fluid intake by measuring liquid volume automatically, are also available.  This monitoring means that optimal fluid levels are maintained, and can be personalised to reflect individuals’ needs and care.  

The third technology is Vayyar, a non-wearable, non-invasive, 4-dimensional tracking technology which supports fall detection.  It also determines room presence and tracks mobility levels and bathroom visits, all of which facilitate autonomous living.  

Lynne added: “Our team have worked hard to ensure that Bield tenants, customers and their families are beneficiaries of extremely relevant tech that could make a real difference to their day-to-day lives – we are certain that the three technologies achieve that.  

“Preventative care technologies across the board underpin our major tech revolution at Bield and we’re confident that there will be fewer falls and emergencies, generally helping people to live independently for longer and be more confident in their homes.” 

Bield’s use of innovative technology has already received major recognition – it’s ‘Inspire Phase 2’ project which utilised proactive telecare was the winner of the Transformation Award at the 2023 ITEC Awards in Birmingham. 

The ITEC Awards celebrate innovation within the sector and the positive impact Technology Enabled Care has on the lives of millions of people in the UK.  The Transformation Award honours services that have planned and implemented major transformation with a proactive and preventative approach.   

Bield is a housing and care charity committed to providing innovative, flexible and high-quality housing solutions and support for older people.  Bield Housing and Care has around 180 developments which facilitate independent living across Scotland. 

To find out more about Bield and its developments, visit https://www.bield.co.uk/ or follow on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland  

For more details on TAPPI, visit https://www.housinglin.org.uk/TAPPI2  

Ambitious strategy aims to deliver global standard for ageing at home

Housing charity puts innovation at its heart

The launch of Bield Housing and Care’s new five-year corporate strategy signals the beginning of a period of significant change and innovation for one of the country’s leading housing providers.

Tech-driven solutions are a key focus in the new strategy, which has been launched to drive the organisation’s growth and maximise independence among its tenants.

These solutions will be at the heart of Bield’s vision for medium-term growth and will help to tackle external challenges faced by the sector such as climate change, the cost-of-living crisis and an ageing population.

The new strategy aims to position Bield tenants, customers and staff at the centre of the organisation’s decision-making, design and adapt homes to meet customer needs, simplify its services, strengthen its financial performance, support its staff to improve their skills and efficiency, and secure UK-wide recognition for its innovative and leading approaches.

Dr Lynne Douglas, Chief Executive, Bield Housing and Care.

Dr Lynne Douglas, CEO at Bield, said: “Our new five-year corporate strategy will guide us along the way as we focus on achieving our vision and ambitions and ultimately make a positive impact.

“Our strategy will measure whether we are delivering to meet our customers’ desires, rather than just ticking boxes. This new outcome-based approach will expand our influence in the sector, as we look to set and deliver the standard for ageing at home.”

It comes at a pivotal time for the housing specialist which recently opened a new digital hub, showcasing housing technology of the future, at its West Port development in Linlithgow.  This was possible thanks to funding from the Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI) project which aims to improve the way technology is used in housing and care for older people.

The hub provides a variety of preventative care technologies to support individuals to live independently, in their own homes, for longer, and is available for tenants, staff and other stakeholders to trial.

Bield will implement its strategy in three distinct phases – strengthen, grow and lead – to ensure it is delivered in a planned and coordinated way.

This phased growth will allow Bield to meet its key priorities which are broken down into five main subsets: facing challenges, improving efficiency, harnessing strengths, enhancing impact and leading the way.

Lynne added: “At Bield, we’re always striving to improve customer experience and satisfaction whilst growing our use of modern, in-home technologies to support independent living.

“Our new strategy will enable us to develop a personalised and proactive approach to delivering our services, develop and test new innovative digital solutions and share our experience and expertise for the benefit of wider society.

“It is estimated that by 2030 more than 600,00 people in Scotland will be aged 75 or over so now more than ever is the time to be ambitious.”

Bield is a housing and care charity committed to providing innovative, flexible and high-quality housing solutions and support for older people. Bield Housing and Care has around 180 developments which facilitate independent living across Scotland.

The charity currently operates across 22 local authorities and works with 24 health and social care partnerships in Scotland.

To find out more about Bield and its developments, visit https://www.bield.co.uk/ or follow on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland

Bield marks Pride Month with launch of Rainbow Network

Bield Housing and Care, a specialist provider for older people, has launched a new volunteer initiative to bring together its diverse community.

Coinciding with Pride Day, Bield‘s ‘Rainbow Network’ initiative will see tenants invited to join a volunteer-led group focused on inclusivity and fostering a safe and social environment for members of the LGBT community.   

It is hoped that bringing together like-minded tenants will not only create a social space but also actively engage and encourage tenants to share ideas for enhancing inclusivity.  

The group is part of Bield’s efforts to highlight the importance of the nine legally protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Zhan McIntyre, Head of Policy and Customer Standards at Bield, said: “The Rainbow Network has been set up to create an inclusive space for our diverse community to come together.

“We’re delighted to be launching during Pride Month and to host the first meeting on 28th June – Pride Day.  Tenant opinions and feedback form the baseline for our entire business, so we are always looking for ways to improve communication and engagement with our customers.”

One of the tenants already involved in the Rainbow Network said: “The LGBT scene is very oriented around younger folk but many of us older ones have been active and ‘out’ for decades, it’s just as we get older we can become marginalised and lonely.”

Anyone interested in attending the virtual group should contact feedback@bield.co.uk in order to receive a link to the meeting.

The Rainbow Network is one of many initiatives recently introduced to get feedback from the people who know and use Bield’s services.

It comes just days after Bield held its first major customer engagement event since the pandemic, which saw the important annual fixture on hold for more than two years, enabling the organisation’s CEO and Directors to meet face-to-face with customers.

The engagement event gave tenants the opportunity to influence Bield’s strategy for the next five years at a time when the sector faces numerous challenges including soaring energy prices, the introduction of new legislation and climate change.

Bield is a registered charity dedicated to providing flexible housing solutions and support for older people with around 180 developments and over 5000 customers across Scotland.

To find out more about Bield, visit https://www.bield.co.uk/housing-and-other-services or follow on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland.

Housing provider’s Big Night In for 50th anniversary celebration

ONE of the country’s largest housing providers is hosting a ‘Big Night In’ to mark its 50th anniversary operating in the sector, with guest appearances from well-known Scottish personalities.

Bield Housing & Care will mark its golden anniversary with a trip down memory lane where staff and customers will revisit fond memories and stories on an online video.

Staff and customers will be able to view the celebration event on Bield’s website and YouTube from the comfort (and safety) of their own homes.

A host of famous faces have sent messages of congrats to the housing provider including, National Clinical Director Jason Leitch, Scottish Actors Sanjeev Kohli and Mark Cox, and Hibernian FC Captain David Gray.

Lesley Holdsworth, Chair of Bield Board, said: “We are incredibly excited to celebrate our 50th anniversary with staff and customers in what is a true milestone for the business.

“With the current lockdown restricting events or small gatherings, Bield was unable to stage the kind of major celebration event it would like to organise.

“Instead, we are looking to bring everyone together virtually through our ‘Big Night In’ event.

“We hope the Big Night In will capture the very essence of our fun loving community as we look back through key parts of our history and ahead to an exciting future.

“In the not too distant future we hope to bring customers and staff together to celebrate this milestone in person, renewing old acquaintances and making new ones.”

The Big Night In will take place tomorrow (17 March) at 5pm. It is just one of a number of celebratory events which will take place throughout the year.

Staff, customers and members of the Bield community are encouraged to join in the celebrations virtually across the housing provider’s social media channels.

Bield is a registered charity which grew from humble beginnings, starting out with one housing development in Bo’ness, and now provides housing services for around 20,000 older people across 23 local authority areas.

Bield’s new strategy for property development provides housing solutions – with greater choice and flexibility – to address the needs of the current generation of older people and the next.

To find out more about us and our developments, visit:  

https://www.bield.co.uk/housing-and-other-services 

or follow on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare

and Twitter @BieldScotland.

Housing provider receives vital donations from local distilleries

A SCOTTISH housing provider has been overwhelmed by the kind gestures of two distilleries who have donated hand sanitiser to allow key workers to continue to safely work with vulnerable older people amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bield Housing & Care has received two very generous donations from The Port of Leith Distillery and Loch Lomond Group who have collectively donated over 120 bottles of hand sanitiser to a variety of developments across the central belt.

Lynne Douglas, Chief Executive at Bield, said: “We have seen a global shortage in hand sanitiser over the past month which has resulted in it being extremely difficult to get vital pieces of equipment that our key workers need to carry out their duties.

“When we were made aware of these two kind donations we were overwhelmed and really appreciative. The donations will enable our key workers to continue to work with some of the most vulnerable people in our communities while also keeping our staff safe.

“The health and wellbeing, of both customers and staff, is our highest priority and we will do everything we can to minimise the risk of infection in our developments and support the Bield community during this difficult time.

“We’d like to extend our thanks to The Port of Leith Distillery and Loch Lomond Group who really have shown us – we are truly all in this together with their kind gesture.”

Ian Stirling, Director at The Port of Leith Distillery, said: “We’ve suddenly found ourselves in a position to be able to help the incredible NHS workers, carers and other frontline workers who have to continue their incredible work despite the risks that they face.

“We hope the main supply chain will soon catch up, but until it does, we’ll continue to produce sanitiser for those people who’re doing the real work of looking after our community.”

Colin Matthew, CEO at Loch Lomond Group, said: “We are delighted to be able to help frontline services during these difficult times.  

“We have supplied many thousands of bottles of our WHO specification Hand Sanitiser free of charge to over 150 organisations, associations and charities including Bield, who are doing a wonderful job in difficult circumstances.”

Bield appreciate the continued understanding and support of customers, families and staff as we work together to positively contribute to Scotland’s response to coronavirus.

A designated e-mail address Hello@bield.co.uk and phone number 0131 273 4000 has been set up to deal with queries and questions.

To find out more about Bield and its developments, visit www.bield.co.uk  or follow on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland 

Volunteers Help Older People Tap Into IT

A LEADING housing provider is calling for Edinburgh volunteers to join the team and help bridge the gap between older people and technology.

Bield Housing & Care has teamed up with local charity, Tap into IT, to run new computer classes at its Manderston Court development in Leith. Continue reading Volunteers Help Older People Tap Into IT