people living at Somme Park in Derry/Londonderry held a celebratory afternoon tea party to mark the completion of a £203,000 upgrade by Clanmil.   

Archdeacon of Derry, Robert Miller joined residents and Clanmil staff in the common room of the independent living scheme to mark the occasion.

The investment includes £88,000 for redecoration and £115,000 for a fire alarm and warden call upgrade. There is new flooring and paintwork throughout the building and the common room has been transformed with new furniture, flooring and paintwork, and colour coordinated soft furnishings. The focal point of the common room is a feature fireplace and stove fire. Artwork by local artists featuring well-known city, countryside and beach scenes complete the refreshed decor.  

The scheme’s guest room has also had a makeover and is now modern and welcoming.   Within the residents' apartments, the warden call and fire alarm systems have been upgraded to ensure safety, while each apartment door has been painted for a fresh new look.  

The common room is the social hub at Somme Park and the new surroundings are even more inviting for residents and visitors to spend time in. Patrick McLaughlin, who has lived at Somme Park for 20 years, is delighted with the transformation. He said:   

“It’s a marvellous job and a lot of time and effort has been put into it. The colours are wonderful and they blend well together. We enjoy using the room to meet up and we’re encouraged to use it an extension of our home and it’s a good place for us to gather as well as being a welcoming place for visitors.”  

Clanmil’s Director of Assets and Building Safety, Tony Giffen, commented:   

“This upgrade is part of a wider investment of £5,000,000 that we are delivering during 2023/24 to maintain and improve properties like Somme Park. As with all refurbishments we do in independent living schemes, the opinions of residents were very important to us during the planning stages. The feedback we’ve had from residents has been very positive and we’ve pleased that they can enjoy a home that is modern, safe and comfortable.”  

Somme Park offers 40 apartments and shared spaces including a common room, for older people. If you or someone you know is interested in renting an apartment at Somme Park, please contact the Scheme Coordinator Gillian Wilson to arrange a visit. Tel 028 7134 7824 or email: housing@clanmil.org.uk