A HOUSING association has invested £30,000 into helping to improve an independent living scheme in Andover.

Aster Group made the investment at Sandringham House towards a brand new secure storage area for residents' mobility scooters.

Interior refurbishment of the communal areas where residents often spend time with friends and family and new furniture has also recently been completed as part of a separate project.

The new scooter store has LED lighting, charging points and coded locks to keep residents' possessions secure and safe. It is also set on the property’s communal grounds, and the store has been painted to blend in with the surrounding greenery.

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Sarah Durrans, Aster Group regional operations director, said: “This has been a genuinely community-focused project, with our customers at Sandringham House consulted at every stage of the project to ensure we made the improvements they wanted to see. The enhancements give residents greater independence, security and some wonderful spaces they can be proud to host their friends and family in.”

The investment in the scooter store was made through Aster’s Neighbourhood Enhancement budget and is part of the association’s wider plan to invest £1.5m in improvements to around 70 neighbourhoods across the south of England during this financial year.

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It is hoped the scooter store will really make a difference to residents who live in the area, meaning they have a secure place to leave their scooters during the day and night.

One resident from Sandringham House said: “I am happy about the scooter store, it’s given us a better way of keeping things safe and it’s nice to know that Aster is thinking about what we need and taking steps to provide it.”

Sandringham House in Andover is one of 70 independent living schemes managed by Aster, where residents are supported by teams of qualified over 55s independent living officers.