Building work is underway at St Ives on a house extension that will bring an improved way of life for a disabled teenager and his family.
The three-bedroom home of Clive and Shirley Averiss is having a major ‘facelift’ to provide an enlarged ground floor kitchen and an extra bedroom above.
This is the result of a unique funding partnership between Penwith District Council (PDC), Penwith Housing Association (PHA) and Cornwall County social services to form the Penwith Disability Partnership Group.
For the first time Peter, 19, will have his own bedroom. “I will be delighted when it's finished” said his mother, Shirley, who was brought up in Hayle and has lived in St Ives for 30 years.
Housing Minister, Baroness Andrews, who recently visited Penwith and St Ives, spoke on partnerships with the theme of ‘care and repair’ and met Mrs Averiss.
Andy Moore, Chief Executive of PHA, commented “There is a significantly higher proportion of people with disabilities in Cornwall compared to other parts of the country. There is a real need for higher grants. Grant aid is normally up to £25,000 and this adaptation needed £40,000.
Bridging the financial gap to improve an individual's quality of life in this and similar cases is an ongoing difficulty that the partnership have brought to the government’s attention”.
Mrs Averiss said “Peter can hardly wait and has been talking about ‘when I get my own room’ all the while. And the neighbours have been particularly understanding as far as Peter is concerned”. Peter has learning difficulties, is epileptic and dyslexic as well as being very withdrawn. Until he was 16 he attended the special school at Pencalenick, Truro.
“The extension will make a big difference to Peter and the whole family. They are hoping to finish at the end of April. It is so necessary and there are a lot of people in our situation” his mother added. Altogether there are six in the house, including Peter, his brother and two sisters.
Baroness Andrews saw the work being done to improve services to people with disabilities and seeking adaptations to their homes. “Penwith is leading the field” she declared.
