Parsonage Court is 25 (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Parsonage Court is 25

12:59pm Tuesday 9th March 2010

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WHEN it first opened its doors 25 years ago this month, Parsonage Court was one of the first sheltered housing schemes around.

It has since gone from strength to strength and now houses 47 warden controlled flats for the elderly at its complex, in Rectory Lane, Loughton.

Opened in 1985 by then Epping Forest MP Sir John Biggs-Davison, Parsonage Court remains as the town's only sheltered housing scheme.

Sheltered housing scheme manager Anita Nisbet said: “It's quite a community here. It's like how it used to be years ago when neighbours looked after each other. We have lots going on if they want to join in. They like the company. We have seated exercises once a week, and bingo, lots of things.”

Parsonage Court is run by Epping Forest District Council with anyone over the age of 60 eligible to sign up to its waiting list.

Elsie Payne, 89, was one of the first ever people to sing up to the scheme when she moved in from her previous home in Newmans Lane, Loughton, 25 years ago.

She said: “I lived in a double prefab which was very drab and really it was too big for me. That's what made me move.

“I remember before they built this. They had a big field that belonged to St Nicolas Church, and that's why it's called Parsonage Court. I watched them build it.

“It's altered a lot. We were all so young when we came in here. We were all 60 and nimble. Over the years people have come in and they're older, but they're very nice people.

“If you're lonely and on your own it's a nice place because you've got people. There's always some one in the corridor you can speak to, and there's always somebody on call.”

Maureen Glynn, 70, is Parsonage Court's most recent resident having moved in just over a month ago from Barfields, Loughton.

She said: “I was living in a three-bedroom house and in the end the maintenance and everything else got a bit too much. A friend of mine had moved in here and I visited her and fell in love with her flat. I thought: 'I could do with this.' I put my name down and in seven months I was in.

“It's the best thing I've ever done. I was a bit dubious coming in because people had been here a long time, but they've all accepted me even though I'm the new one. They took me in their arms. I've never had that before.”

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Parsonage Court is due to hold an afternoon tea with a buffet and entertainer coming in to host a day of sequence and line dancing.

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