A development of affordable apartments named after Fiona Bone, the Tameside policewoman killed in the line of duty, has been officially opened by her family exactly two years after her funeral took place.
Fiona Gardens in Sale, Greater Manchester, is a £7.8m extra care residential complex which features 71 one-and two-bedroom properties for both sale and rent.
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has provided £1.4m of funding for the development from the Affordable Homes Programme.
The centre, which features a commemorative stone at its entrance in honour of Fiona, has been designed to provide older and vulnerable residents with an outstanding quality of life linked to an emphasis on independent living. To help deliver this, Trafford Housing Trust has partnered with Manchester-based charity IAS who specialise in providing person-centred care within a safe and respectful environment.
It was this aspect of the project which resonated with Fiona's family when first approached about naming it in her memory, as Fiona was passionate about working with elderly and vulnerable people.
In addition to the spacious, modern properties, Fiona Garden features extensive communal spaces, courtyards and landscaped gardens together with on-site services for residents, their visitors and the local community including a bistro restaurant, a hairdressers, private resident’s lounge, guest accommodation, an activity area, a ‘pamper’ bathroom and a multi-sensory room for those with learning difficulties or dementia, or people recovering from a stroke.
Deborah McLaughlin, the HCA’s executive director for the North West, said: “I’m delighted to see this extra care housing scheme completed to such a high standard. We recognise the need for good quality independent living for the residents of Sale, and I’m sure the new residents will enjoy these facilities and the pleasant environment.”
Matthew Gardiner, Chief Executive of Trafford Housing Trust, said: “I was incredibly touched by the fact that Fiona’s family believed this care facility was worthy of their daughter’s name before it was even completed. We hope it becomes a place to call home for older and vulnerable people for generations to come, and further be utilised by people throughout the local community.”