The official opening of Manning Place took place on 13th September 2018. The weather was very kind to us and the opening was very well attended. The Mayor of Richmond Cllr Ben Khosa performed the “cutting of the ribbon” and welcomed the 12 new residents. The Mayor made a speech and talked about the charity’s long history of providing almshouse accommodation and praised the charity for continuing to look for ways in which it can expand and house more residents.
Some residents opened up their new almshouses so that guests could look around and everyone was very impressed with the quality of the new almshouses and the refurbishment that has been undertaken. As the Mayor said, although most almshouses are traditional cottages, what Manning Place shows is what a modern almshouse looks like, complete with aids and adaptations to assist residents as they grow older.
Refreshments were served courtesy of Debbie, Jo and Alison, and a pleasant time was had by all those who attended.