Ogilvie Homes consist of three terraces of bungalows. All occupy the same site in spacious grounds, with extensive views over the surrounding countryside. They are administered by the Trustees of the Ogilvie Charities and are registered with the Charity Commission and the Regulator of Social Housing.

The first terrace, built in the early 20th century, was extensively modernised in 2001/2 to provide seven two-bedroomed and five one-bedroom properties to mobility or wheelchair standard. The second terrace was constructed in 1987 and offers a further seven homes. Each is designed to accommodate a married couple or a single person as desired, having a sitting room, a double sized bedroom, kitchen and bathroom with lavatory. The third Terrace, built in 1990 comprises two homes, each with a separate double bedroom; and three large bed sitting rooms; and all five of these properties has its own kitchen, bathroom and lavatory. Central heating by radiators and domestic hot water to sinks and baths is available throughout the dwellings; and mains electricity, water and sewerage services are connected.

Two communal reading rooms, kitchen, laundry rooms, and guest suites are provided as well.

The properties offer, therefore, self contained, unfurnished, ‘sheltered’ housing accommodation to people whose ages are generally above those of normal retirement. These are not Residential Homes for older people or Nursing homes, but a Scheme Manager and a Deputy Scheme Manager live at the homes, also an Assistant Scheme Manager and other staff are employed daily so that extra oversight can be given to those residents who need it. An audio alarm system linking each Home and the reading rooms with the staff quarters, enables the Scheme Manager and deputies to be contacted quickly and easily in an emergency.

No restrictions are placed on visits by friends and relatives, who are encouraged to call on the residents whenever they wish and to give them whatever assistance they require. In addition it is hoped that the medical, nursing, and social services provided by the Health Authority and the County Council will always be made available to people living in the Homes, in exactly the same way as to others whose homes are elsewhere in the local community. Nevertheless, and regrettably, it has to be said that in the best interests of all concerned, the Trustees must reserve the right to require any resident to find other, more suitable, accommodation and leave the Homes, if he or she suffers from an infirmity or illness of the kind which could not normally be coped with in one’s own home with the help described above.

Enquiries have been made from time to time about the keeping of pets on the premises. The Ogilvie Charities policy is to allow beneficiaries to keep pets in exceptional circumstances only.

From time to time, the accommodation at the Homes is advertised publicly and a waiting list of potentially suitable applicants is prepared. It is not necessary for anyone seeking accommodation to await the appearance of an advertisement, however, because enquiries can be made at any time. They must be addressed in writing to the General Manager, Ogilvie Charities, The Gate House, 9 Burkitt Road, Woodbridge Suffolk IP12 4JJ. Uninvited callers are asked not to visit the Homes casually, good though their intentions maybe, because this would infringe upon the privacy of the people living there.

Application forms and other information may be downloaded from this website if you wish. Alternatively, the General Manager will send enquirers, by post, written details of the Homes and forms of application for the accommodation and services provided there.

On every occasion that a vacancy occurs, the General Manager will inform selected persons on the waiting list of it and invite them to submit to her, up-to-date particulars of their personal circumstances for consideration. She will then select, for personal interview at the Homes, those whom she considers to be the most needy applicants for the vacant accommodation, and where she considers it appropriate to do so, may ask permission to pay them home visits also. Applicants being interviewed will be given the opportunity to be accompanied by a relative or friend.

The General Manager will refer to the Trustees’ policy on eligibility and other factors, and select from among those interviewed someone whom she can recommend to the Trustees for immediate accommodation at the Homes. After receiving the Trustees approval, a letter of agreement will be sent to the applicants selected, setting out the full terms on which the offer of accommodation is authorised, and the joint signatures of an applicant and the General Manager will signify their acceptance.

Accommodation charges range from £150.08 to £213.99 per week according to the type of dwelling occupied (As at April 2024)

The weekly charge which the Trustees are obliged to make for the accommodation applies to each Home whether occupied by a single person or a couple. It includes the use of the individual dwellings and the communal facilities such as the Reading Room, laundry room etc, the external and internal repair and redecoration of them; water and sewerage charges, the upkeep of the grounds; the services of the Scheme Manager and her staff; and a number of amenities. In the case of those living in the original terrace of bungalows, and in the 1990 Homes, the charge includes, also, the cost of supplying central heating, hot water, and electricity for cooking and lighting through centralised systems and meters. The 1987 Homes, on the other hand, are provided with the individual gas-fired heating systems and each has its own separate source of electricity: in these instances the occupants pay their personal fuel costs to Gas suppliers and Electricity suppliers, direct, and the charge made by the Trustees is somewhat lower for them.

Residents who feel unable to meet these expenses in full from their present income may be entitled to help from East Suffolk Council by way of Housing Benefit allowance, indeed, some receive it already.

People eligible for accommodation at the Homes, at the absolute discretion of the Trustees, are those who are preferably but not necessarily over retirement age and living locally and/or have caring relatives or friends living in the local area, and who in the judgment of the Trustees lack adequate means of providing themselves with the accommodation and services including a degree of extra personal care needed by them. As the Homes are charitable properties and the occupiers become beneficiaries of the Ogilvie Charities, regard will be paid to an applicant’s financial position.