Selectaglaze helps create and enhance a computer suite at London homelessness charity, Caritas Anchor House as part of their continuing relationship with the CRASH charity.
Caritas Anchor House is based in Newham, one of the most deprived boroughs in the UK. They work with those affected by homelessness, unemployment, mental health, substance misuse, domestic abuse and offending. Last year they provided a home and support to 202 people, supported 35 into employment and 48 into independent living.
CRASH, the construction industry charity assists homelessness charities and hospices with their construction projects. They recently supported Caritas Anchor House developing a series of projects to renovate the dilapidated centre.As part of the works, they are converting some office space into a computer suite where people could have secure and safes access to computers to research opportunities.
To meet the terms of Health and Safety regulations the area needed to have fire insulated walls. As opposed to an enclosed area, it was agreed that three fire resistant internal windows should be fitted creating internal vision panels to provide a bright and airy area where people could see in and out. This ensured that users felt secure but with suitable acoustic insulation to help concentration, as well as fire resistance for duty of care.
CRASH Chief Executive, Francesca Roberts contacted Selectaglaze asking if they would like to donate secondary glazing for the computer suite at Caritas Anchor House.Selectaglaze has supported the CRASH ‘No Christmas Card’ appeal for a number of years and were happy to contribute towards this precise charity project. Pilkington donated the Pyrodur fire resistant glass to support the secondary glazing installation.
Selectaglaze installed three Series 40 units with 10mm Pyrodur fire rated glass. The Series 40 is a beaded fixed frame system offering 30 minute fire integrity protection. The secondary glazing units were framed in fire rated timber grounds and transom mullions. An additional benefit was the improvement to acoustic insulation.
The secondary glazing install has greatly benefited Caritas Anchor House, a small gesture from Selectaglaze and Pilkington that will be a welcome addition for the residents to further their efforts towards a better future. The computer suite has been transformed into a bright and airy area where people can concentrate and feel safe; not enclosed or vulnerable.
“The glazing supplied has been such an important donation for us. It’s enabled us to open up the room which we will soon be using as an IT and e-learning suite for our residents. The people we house and support have come to us following a period of homelessness and they may be traumatised by the experiences they have been through. We wanted to make this new space as open and light as possible to create a feeling of space and safety, and to enable our staff to see what is happening in the room without having to be in the space directly.
We are extremely grateful to Selectaglaze and Pilkington for their donations, and to CRASH for connecting us up with Selectaglaze to make this all happen.” Amanda Duberry, Caritas Anchor House.
Founded in 1966, Royal Warrant holder Selectaglaze offers noise insulation, improved building energy performance, environmental control and certified security for all building types from new builds to buildings at risk.
Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter and receive updates about our latest news and events.
