Rural living - not just a home, a way of life

We exist to serve communities of all shapes and sizes across a diversity of locations. From the heart of Somerset to villages in Hampshire, with urban centres like London and Bristol in between, the people we support and the services we deliver change from place to place.

For customers like Nina, living in a rural community is about more than a home, it’s about a way of life.

A place for everyone 

Living in a rural location, having access to green and wild spaces, has often been seen as inaccessible. But, at Abri, we build affordable homes in rural locations because we know it offers a lifestyle that suits a diversity of people with a range of lived experiences. That living in these unique communities shouldn’t just be available to certain sections of society. Around 21% of all our affordable homes are in rural areas, and we’re in the throes of building more.

Nina, who lives in Somerset’s picturesque South Petherton, has lived in a range of locations, including Kent, London and Chesire, but she is at her happiest in rural settings. Having trained as a Farm Secretary at the West Sussex College of Agriculture and working in farming during her career, the pull of nature and community is in her bones. She has a love for horses and had her own Highland Pony.

Life moves in unexpected ways and, after her divorce, Nina didn’t have the capital or income to buy a home, but she loved living rurally and didn’t want to give up her way of life. Before she settled into Pitway – a community she already knew well and felt connected to – Nina experienced a short period of homelessness. She found short-term respite through the loan of a friend’s touring caravan before she came to live in our Independent Living scheme.

In Pitway, Nina has found joy tending to her garden and contributing to the upkeep of the community’s shared patio space. It’s here, in this rural setting, that she can continue to pursue the things she loves most: walking her dogs, enjoying the countryside, immersing herself in nature. Importantly, Nina hasn’t had to compromise when it comes to location, and has been able to remain in an area that feels like home to her.

In just the past few months, across rural communities, our team have worked collaboratively to:

• Improve garden and shared outdoor spaces with new planters and patio renovations
• Support the physical and mental health of customers through activities like Movement to Music – a popular exercise group at three different locations
• Connect customers with cultural projects, such as Flagship Crewkerne – an arts and heritage festival which has invited residents to design and display their very own flag
• Facilitate monthly community catch-ups to bring people together and foster connection

Now, Nina enjoys connecting with her neighbours at a regular coffee morning, making the patio she shares with her community beautiful, and nurturing a home in the place she loves.