Spire Homes make a world of difference to Molly

Published by Ceri Jackson for Longhurst Group in Housing and also in Communities, Environment, Health

Spire Homes’ new development at Spinney Road, Rushden has provided a much needed ground floor flat for Peter and his daughter, Molly Mae.

“It has made such a difference to my daughter”. Spire Homes’ tenant, Peter Whyte says he and daughter Molly Mae have found their dream home at Spinney Close in Rushden. They moved into the Spire Homes development in March 2011, having finally found a property which suited five year old Molly’s needs. 

When Molly was two, she was diagnosed with Perthes’ disease, which causes the tops of her thigh bones to soften and erode. As a result, Molly walks with a limp and falls over easily. It can also cause great pain in her hips and legs as they become stiff, leaving her unable to walk.

Peter and Molly’s previous home was unsuitable because she could not get in and out of the bath on her own. She also had to be carried up and down the stairs because the staircase was too steep for her – just walking over the front door step caused Molly difficulty. The house was also very damp, which caused both Molly and Peter to develop a chesty cough.

They applied for their new home through the bidding process, and were successful in securing a two bedroom ground floor flat at Spinney Close.

Peter said: “Living in a ground floor flat is ideal for Molly – it is great as she no longer has to go up and down the steep stairs. She is very independent and now can do things on her own like have a bath or walk in her own front door by herself.”

Peter, originally from Somerset, moved to Northampton to be near to friends and to ‘start a new life’. His relationship with Molly’s mother broke down after a few years together, and Peter and Molly ended up moving homes several times before they settled in at Spinney Close.

“We’ve had to move quite a few times, so it is great to finally get Molly settled in,” said Peter, “We love our new home. It is ideal because her school is only round the corner and she can walk this distance most days. We also have a grass area, which she loved playing on in the summer, which are previous house didn’t have.” 

In their previous home, the bath was too high so Molly could not get in and out by herself – she had to be lifted. Now, because the bath is set at a lower level, Molly can get in and out by herself, which she loves! It also has a thermostatic valve on the taps so she can safely run the water herself without the risk of being scalded. Just these few small changes have had a huge impact on Molly and helped her gain independence. 

“Molly has always been the type of child to give anything a go. Being able to bath herself has helped her gain confidence and made such a difference, a huge thank you to Spire Homes!” said Peter.