At Housing 21, our schemes are vibrant communities with residents from across the country and beyond. Among those is Zohra who lives in one of our Retirement Living schemes in Ilford. 

A keen gardener, Zohra spends a lot of her time during the warmer months in the schemes garden.  

“I’ve always loved gardening and one of the best things about the scheme is that we have a big garden,” she said. 

“We are lucky enough to have a pond so myself and other residents can be found outside watching the dragonflies and hedgehogs.” 

A Retirement Living resident in the garden
"There are lots of activities, including a games afternoon, I can take part in if I want to and our Local Housing Manager is very supportive."
"I like spending time with other residents. I’m a widow and find it nice to talk to other residents about their loved ones who have passed. We can share each other’s grief by reminiscing but not burdening each other.  "

Since moving into the scheme, Zohra has become a prominent part of the community even inviting other residents to join her as she does chair-based Tai Chi.  

“I travelled a lot in my life and always love meeting new people, learning about them, and hearing their views,” said Zohra.  

A Retirement Living resident in the garden