A Burnham-On-Sea charitable trust is offering a rare opportunity to take a vacancy at a set of almshouses in the town.
Ellen’s Cottages in Berrow Road consist of seven almshouses operating as a Charitable Trust.
The property in Berrow Road occupies a prominent position on the Berrow Road and the charity is a member of the Almshouses Association.
Ellen’s Cottages are constituted by a unique Deed of Trust that dates back to April 1868. The object of the charity is to ‘apply its income for the benefit of the alms people who shall be poor widows and spinsters of good character of not less than 60 years of age resident in the parish of Burnham-On-Sea’.
Clerk to the Trustees said: “If no suitable applicant is available to fill any vacancy this may be offered by the Trustees to a poor man or a married couple who are both not less than 60 years of age.”
“The charity manages seven unfurnished cottages. The principle behind everything that the trust does is that residents should enjoy independence and the freedom to come and go as they please while living in comfortable and secure accommodation.”
“Residents should feel confident in the knowledge that support will always be available, whether from the trust itself or from outside agencies should the need arise. Above all, the trust respects residents’ privacy.”
“The weekly charge consists of two elements One entitled the ‘Weekly Maintenance Charge’ (WMC) that support the maintenance and upkeep of the properties currently fixed at £98.07. The other is entitled the ‘Communal Charge’ which covers Communal Electricity Hot Water and Gas Fired Central Heating Water Rates and Communal Gardening fixed currently at £30.69 giving a weekly total of £128.76 (£558pcm).”
“The vacant cottage comprises of a Living Room Kitchen Bedroom and Bathroom/Shower Room together with use of Garden Sheds Courtyard and Communal Meeting Room.”
The overall management of the trust and property is managed by six local trustees with the day-to-day management by the Clerk to the Trustees.
