Pensioners remain fit as a fiddle thanks to caring housebuilder

Published by Claire Tinston for IPB Communications in Housing and also in Communities

Older people in Devon are being given the opportunity to remain ‘fit as a fiddle’ thanks to leading community regeneration specialist Frank Haslam Milan (FHM) and Age UK.

The housing specialist is taking a keen interest in the well being of the older generation by donating a box of 50 stress balls to Age UK Budleigh Salterton, situated on Station Road.

The use of stress balls help enhance the lives of older people and maintain their independence through improving their mobility, flexibility and fine motor skills while helping to strengthen their hands, arms and shoulders.

Age UK Devon plans to roll out similar programmes in Barnstaple where FHM, a delivery arm of Keepmoat, is starting work on a £5.3 million housing scheme on behalf of North Devon Homes in Barnstaple, Devon.   

The Keepmoat company is building 65 new build properties comprising two and three bed family properties at the Forches estate under Code 3 of the Government’s Code for Sustainable Homes. The properties are timber framed and come with solar panels, helping residents save money on their household bills.

Trish Warren, Fit as a Fiddle Co-ordinator at Age UK Devon, said: “We are very grateful to Frank Haslam Milan for their kind donation of stress balls.

“When the company visited Age UK Budleigh Salterton the clients really enjoyed the stress ball workout and were very keen to use the stress balls on a regular basis.

“It is very refreshing to know that businesses care about the communities in which they work and are willing to work in partnership to help those communities. I look forward to working with FHM on other projects which will help in a similar way.”

Martin Smithurst, Managing Director of FHM, said: “As a company, we are always looking for new ways of supporting local community groups and organisations in the areas in which we work.

“As our work continues to expand in the South West we have built up relationships with important organisations like Age UK which informed us about the stress ball initiative when we asked what we could do to help.    

“The stress balls can make a significant difference to older people’s agility and as a result we are very keen to roll this out elsewhere in Barnstaple and to help in any way we can.”