A repairs and maintenance service for vulnerable people in Caerphilly County Borough has proved a resounding success in its first year, helping hundreds of customers.
Care and Repair Caerphilly set up its home maintenance social enterprise last year with the aim of carrying out jobs to prevent residents aged over 60 being taken advantage of by ‘rogue traders’.
The project got off the ground with a grant of £47,000 from the EU-funded South East Wales Community Economic Development programme. The funding went towards the creation of a home technician post and purchase of a van and tools. Its success has also recently seen a carpenter join its ranks.
Pat Jones, Chair of Care and Repair Caerphilly, said: “We are a non-profit making organisation offering free practical advice and assistance on house repairs or improvements.
“Our aim is to help older and vulnerable people live independently in their own homes for as long as possible.
“We knew from past experience with our clients that there was a gap in the market for reliable and trustworthy contractors to carry out small repairs and maintenance jobs around the house.
“Understanding the difficulties clients were going through and wanting to prevent them getting taken advantage of by rogue traders, we investigated the possibility of setting up a home maintenance service. This would bridge the gap between the small works carried out through our Handyman service and the larger scale work sent out to tender.”