Colebrook Housing Society was originally set up in 1983 to respond to the housing needs of people who had been living at Moorhaven Hospital and other long-stay Hospitals where they had been helped with mental health problems. At that time these Hospitals were being closed down and a programme of Care in the Community was planned to help people to move towards a more independent way of life. Colebrook was designed to manage properties owned by Westcountry Housing Association and a voluntary Management Committee was recruited, headed by the then Chairman of Westcountry Housing Association, Leslie Wormersley.

The Society started out with a “cluster flat” of four bed-sitting rooms at Delacombe Close, Plympton and this project eventually grew to house 14 residents with a communal lounge and an office.

Initially there was no office and no General Manager and, apart from Project Staff, there was a Minute Secretary, recruited to take notes at Committee Meetings and deal with any correspondence, and a Treasurer to deal with finances. By 1986 plans were in hand to open a Residential Home for adults with learning disabilities and shared houses at North Cross and Renown Street. These plans came to fruition in 1987 and the Society also took over partial responsibility for a shared house in Mildmay Street.

A Hostel Services Manager was appointed in 1989 and the Society opened its first offices in Wyndham Square. When a Director was appointed in 1990 he was able to negotiate the lease on more suitable premises in Windsor Villas, Lockyer Street. By now the Society had 38 residents and 19 members of staff.

Colebrook celebrated its 10th Anniversary on 18th February 1993 at the Elfordleigh Country Club with a lunch to which residents, staff and Members of the Management Committee were invited. At this event, one of the residents was presented with the first copy of the new Tenants’ Handbook and the day ended with a party at the Riverside Caravan Park, Plympton.

The first major event of the second decade of Colebrook’s existence was the opening of Stanley House. This purpose built project was designed to be home for 16 of our residents. It was originally proposed as a replacement for 156 North Road East, now known as North Cross. The whole of Caprera Terrace where North Cross stands was said to be due for demolition, but this has still not happened and, 10 years on, North Cross is still home to 10 residents.

By 1996 Colebrook had entered into an agreed with Devon & Cornwall Housing Association to manage some of the Association’s flats under a Floating Support scheme whereby residents could move towards a goal of fully independent living by taking advantage of a lower level of support Colebrook staff. The level of support is tapered off until the residents have sufficient confidence and living skills to live alone but can then remain in their accommodation without the trauma of another move.

Another project with Devon & Cornwall Housing Association was Amity Place, a purpose built project comprising 7 self-contained flats with an office and communal lounge.

In 1997 Colebrook entered into an agreement with Western Challenge Housing Association to manage a project on North Hill, providing short-term accommodation for young people with mental health problems. This project is still in being, but has moved to Seaton Avenue, Mutley.

By 1997, with a new Director, staff numbered 33 and were offering support to our residents at weekends as well as on weekdays. This additional support was still further developed with the inauguration of an Out of Hours Service which proved both successful and popular with residents.
A structured staff training programme was set up to ensure that all members of staff were capable of offering appropriate help and support to our residents and also so that staff could be kept up to date with the ever changing health and safety and other regulations.

In March 1999, Colebrook established a presence in Cornwall with the opening of Duncan House, offering 6 self-contained flats with a communal lounge and office. The organisation chart of September 2001 shows a total number of staff of 44 plus a team of 6 Relief Care Workers. This continuing growth lead to the purchase in February 2001 of 3 Woodland Terrace, a four storey building in Greenbank which now provides a full range of offices, a meeting room and premises for the popular Drop Inn facility much enjoyed by residents, former residents and others.

This year also saw an expansion in the Learning Disability Service to incorporating flats at Durnford Street Ope and shared houses in Rougemont Close and Peverell Park Road. During 2002 properties were purchased in Ivybridge and Plympton and the Delacombe project closed. In line with the continuing policy of reviewing and updating the way in which Colebrook Housing Society operates, during 2001/2002 the management structure was amended.

The Director took voluntary redundancy and the former Senior Operational Manager became the General Manager with responsibility, under the Management Committee, for all the Society’s operations. A success bid was made to the Community Fund of the National Lottery and a Community Development Team was recruited, tasked with empowering our residents in all aspects of their lives – giving advice on benefits, volunteering and encouraging resident participation in the running of Colebrook.

Colebrook Housing Society was founded in the climate of Care in the Community and now, under the umbrella of Supporting People, all those associated with the organisation look towards the next decade with enthusiasm and a continuing commitment to improving the quality of life of our residents.