Meet the new Willohaus residents

A mum and her young daughter are amongst the first residents to move in at Willohaus.

The pair, who we’re keeping anonymous, are looking forward to a fresh start after spending the past 18 months living in temporary accommodation when they were left with nowhere to live following a family relationship breakdown.

During that time, they have lived in a hostel and several temporary flats across Greater Manchester, with the instability of moving from place to place taking its toll.

Most recently, they have been living in Bolton – miles away from friends, family and their support network in Salford.

For the young mum who is originally from Eccles, the daily impact has been huge, with journeys of up to two hours by bus to get to work, take her daughter to nursery and see her family, making everyday life much more difficult while raising a young child.

She says moving to Willohaus and finally having a permanent home of their own will be life-changing.

“It’s a chance for us to make a fresh start,” she said.

“When you’re in temporary accommodation, it’s a home, but it never really feels like your home. This will be our home – our own space where we can settle, make memories and start over together.”

She was initially nervous when first contacted by her housing officer at Salix Homes to tell her she had been offered a home at Willohaus, having never heard of the development before and not knowing the area.

But after visiting the development on Peru Street with her nanna, she soon changed her mind.

“When I saw it, I couldn’t believe it – it looked amazing,” she said. “It’s in such a lovely area, and there’s so much to do around here.

“After everything we’ve been through, being back in Salford is really important to us. My family are nearby, and my job is literally round the corner. I can walk to work in 10 minutes. I’m really excited about making it our home now and seeing my daughter grow up here. It really does feel like the new start we’ve needed.”

They have moved into one of the 30 social rent apartments at Willohaus, which has been built to Passivhaus Classic certified standard, which is the leading low-energy design standard. Passivhaus homes offer high thermal comfort and improved air quality, providing a healthier living environment and homes that are cheaper to heat and run.

Liam Turner, Chief Executive at Salix Homes, said: “We’re so pleased to welcome our new residents to Willohaus. Everyone deserves the security and stability of a safe, affordable home, and stories like these show just how life-changing that can be – really bringing home why investing in high-quality, social and affordable housing matters so much.”

Find out more about Willohaus