Caritas Anchor House is based in Newham, London. They work with vulnerable groups including those affected by homelessness, unemployment, mental health, substance misuse, domestic abuse and offending. Last year they provided a home and support to 202 people, fast-tracked 35 into employment and 48 into independent living.
CRASH, the construction industry charity assists homelessness charities and hospices with their construction projects. They recently supported Caritas Anchor House developing a series of projects to renovate the centre. As part of the works, they are converting some office space into a computer suite where people could have secure and safe access to computers to research opportunities.
To conform with Health and Safety regulations the area required fire insulated walls. Instead of an enclosed area, it was arranged that three fire resistant internal windows would be fitted, thus creating internal vision panels to provide a bright and airy area. This ensured that users felt secure but with suitable acoustic insulation to help concentration, as well as fire resistance for duty of care.
CRASH Chief Executive, Francesca Roberts contacted Selectaglaze asking if they would be keen to donate secondary glazing for the computer suite at Caritas Anchor House. Selectaglaze has supported the CRASH ‘No Christmas Card’ appeal for a number of years and were happy to back this particular charity project. Pilkington donated the Pyrodur fire resistant glass to support the secondary glazing installation.
Selectaglaze fitted three Series 40 units with 10mm Pyrodur fire rated glass. The Series 40 is a beaded fixed frame system offering 30 minute fire integrity protection. The secondary glazing units were framed in fire rated timber grounds and transom mullions. An extra benefit was the improvement to acoustic insulation.
The successful installation of secondary glazing has greatly benefited Caritas Anchor House, a small gesture from Selectaglaze and Pilkington that will be a huge help for the residents to further their efforts towards a better future. The computer suite has been transformed into a bright and airy area where people can concentrate and feel safe; not enclosed or vulnerable.
“The glazing supplied has been such an important donation for us. It’s enabled us to open up the room which we will soon be using as an IT and e-learning suite for our residents. We wanted to make this new space as open and light as possible to create a feeling of space and safety, and to enable our staff to see what is happening in the room without having to be in the space directly.
We are extremely grateful to Selectaglaze and Pilkington for their donations, and to CRASH for connecting us up with Selectaglaze to make this all happen.” Amanda Duberry, Caritas Anchor House.
Founded in 1966, Royal Warrant holder Selectaglaze has worked on buildings of all types from Listed to traditional and even new build.
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