Social developer Our Enterprise welcomed Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex to officially open the first Entrain Space at Erskine House in Wilton, near Salisbury, today October 15th, 2019.
This Entrain Space veterans resettlement program is part of a wider Wilton Hill development scheme which also includes an Enterprise Hub (to be constructed). The Wilton Community Land Trust is one of the partners in this development. The Wilton veterans’ scheme consists of 44 flats for veterans and an extensive training space, plus an adjoining café which is open to the whole community. Half of the flats have already been taken up before the official opening. Entrain Space is delivered with the help of housing operator, regional charity Alabaré, who are also providing the veterans’ support.
Matthew Bell, CEO of Our Enterprise, is the creator and founder of Entrain Space, which he aims to roll out to address the unmet needs of service-leavers and veterans across the country. Erskine House at Wilton is the first Entrain Space. It will be extended through the provision of an Enterprise Hub, opening in 2021, to be constructed adjacent to Erskine House.
Matthew Bell, CEO of Our Enterprise, said;
“I am proud and delighted to welcome HRH Countess of Wessex today for this historic opening of Erskine House, our Entrain Space flagship. It is the first scheme of its kind in the UK and I hope the first of many. I would like to thank HRH for supporting the valuable work we do.”
Andrew Lord, Alabaré Chief Executive said;
“At Alabaré we provide dedicated housing support for over 300 veterans across the country each year. We are excited to bring our expertise to this project which is the first to combine accommodation with an aspirational enterprise-based program of support for residents. A better-managed transition to civilian life will bring substantial benefits to members of the Armed Forces, their families and the wider community.”
Historically, Our Enterprise formed a partnership with housebuilder Redrow Homes and the Wilton Community Land Trust (CLT), which ensures Entrain Space will integrate successfully within the local community and the wider development at Wilton Hill.
Jon Fletcher, Managing Director of Redrow Southern Counties said;
“We are proud of the Entrain Space facilities developed by Our Enterprise and in partnership with Redrow as part of our award-winning development, Wilton Hill, in Wilton. This is a very innovative scheme, providing dedicated space for veterans to develop their skillset alongside high-quality accommodation, all in one place. We hope Wilton Hill paves the way for developers and housebuilders to design and build new places that allow people to thrive individually and as a community.”
Jon Sloan, a Director of the Wilton Community Land Trust, said;
“The Entrain Space program has brought a real focus for community regeneration and inclusion and I am very pleased that HRH has been able to open this unique facility in a county which now hosts a quarter of the British Army.”
Our Enterprise and the partnership have had enormous support from the local community, the military, the council and local politicians, which has helped Entrain Space achieve this launch today.