Ryder-Cheshire Foundation Waikato

Ryder-Cheshire Foundation (Waikato) Charitable Trust builds fully wheelchair accessible homes for people living with a disability and thanks to a steadfast band of volunteers in the governance team has been doing this for over twenty-five years in Hamilton.

Through donations and grants, the room rates are able to kept affordable so residents can enjoy quality of life. For folk who use a wheelchair for mobility the houses provide a genuine sense of being at home, as the house is made to fit their needs, rather than the other way around.

Many of our residents come from hospital, rehabilitation facilities, from living with aging parents, or simply from unsuitable premises that have restricted their quality of life.

Our residents wish to remain as independent as possible and to enjoy living in a friendly and supportive community. It helps that all our houses are on level ground and in a flat area, thus enabling people to walk or wheel to the shops, doctors, services, cafes and of course, to see their friends. Let's read what some of them have to say:

*Archie was 17 when he came from an unsettled home to live with us. He didn't really want to move in, but couldn't get a benefit due to his age. Soon after his arrival he told us he was really glad he had come in and is now busy looking for work, helping out at a local charity store and lending his neighbours a hand with their garden. Archie enjoys coming on our bus trips and being able to invite his family members along on them too. His flatmates thrive on his company and enjoy being able to ask 'our teenager' to pop down to the shop for them, as everyone knows that teenagers need regular exercise. We think Archie has blossomed in a setting of acceptance and support and he is the first of our residents to have literally grown taller.

*Juliette arrived via the women's night shelter. She was stressed and anxious but soon put her abundant energy to good use organising the household kitchen and laundry. Her excellent skills have been utilised in the community on work placements and she is now looking forward to a job in admin.

*Timothy was lonely in his out-of-town flat by himself and missed his friends in Hamilton. He took one look at us and we took one look at him and once the flurry of paperwork was over he came to join the household as if he had always been there. This happens more often than not, with people fitting into the place like old friends.