Spring 2020 newsletter & RICS Heritage award!
We find ourselves in extraordinary times and the charity is anxiously waiting to get back to work like the rest of the country. Unfortunately, we have had to furlough our Chief Executive and hope that Liza will be taking us forward shortly. In the meantime, we hope everyone takes good care and stays safe.
I am proud to be able to introduce HPBC’s latest newsletter, which we hope will lift your spirit. It is a bumper issue celebrating the completion of our second project. It also marks the completion of our entire development in L8. The newsletter represents the hard work and dedication of so many people and partners. In its pages you will find some of our stories. We hope you will enjoy and be inspired to help us with our next project.The Rev’d Dr Shannon Ledbetter
Chair
We’re also proud to announce that the St Bernard’s Church won the Heritage award in the RICS Social Impact Awards 2020 North West! Per their description:
“This category is for the conservation, renovation or restoration of a single building or a group of buildings or structures.
The conversion of St Bernard’s Church into affordable housing is an example of the way that a landmark building can be creatively re-used to provide exciting and unusual low-cost housing. The “Home Partners” who will occupy the houses have contributed their sweat equity to the site so that they can accrue a deposit to allow them to purchase their home. The new houses are part of a growing community on land donated to HPBC by the Archdiocese of Liverpool.
The judges said: St. Bernard’s Church in Liverpool has been brilliantly converted to form 11 new homes. The scheme has successfully retained glimpses of the church’s architectural features - the hint of an arch or the glory of a stained-glass window. This project was a true collaboration involving an innovative model of ‘sweat equity’, helping people onto the property ladder by paying a ‘deposit’ of 500 hours labour. Literally working hard for their future homes, the project has created a ready-made community of friends and neighbours who are rightly proud of their achievements.”