Bield Tenants Win Praise For Showing Innovation

A husband and wife from Braehead Gardens in Buckhaven, a very sheltered housing development owned by Bield, have had their voluntary efforts rewarded at a top awards ceremony.

Patti and Paul Chapman, who volunteer for the Disabled Persons Housing Service (DPHS), have been praised after playing a key role in helping the charity to win the Innovation Award at this year’s Volunteer of the Year Awards held in St Andrews.

Disabled Persons Housing Service introduced a unique mentoring service which allows disabled people to seek advice from other disabled people.

Patti, who is a full time wheelchair user, has close ties to the DPHS after having sought advice from the charity twice in the past when looking for a new home.

With this in mind, Patti and Paul offered themselves up as mentors, drawing on Patti’s past experience to give as much helpful guidance and advice to those who need it.

Patti said of her role with DPHS: “I love being a mentor for the Disabled Persons Housing Service. It is a charity which I have turned to twice and it hasn’t let me down so for me, it felt important that I give something back to a charity close to my heart.

“As a wheelchair user, it was important to me that I had support, and most importantly guidance, when I was looking for a home. So when I meet with others, I try to share with them my experience and give my advice to help make their transition to a new home as smooth as possible.”

Patti and Paul have so far advised and helped six people find a home ideally suited to their needs and hope to continue this work in 2015.

Valerie Morrison, manager at the development said: “It’s wonderful to see Paul and Patti working alongside a charity which lies close to their hearts.

“It’s important for us to ensure that those who stay at our development live life as independent and as fulfilled lives as they wish, and Paul and Patti are an excellent example of this.”