Tucked along West Street, behind familiar brickwork and cottage gardens, sits one of Farnham’s most enduring expressions of neighbourly care.

The McDonald and Trimmer Almshouse Charity little known to many residents - continues a tradition that has shaped English communities for more than a thousand years. Almshouses were the original social housing; small, safe homes provided by local benefactors for older people of limited means.

Farnham’s own story is no exception. The Trimmer Almshouse Trust began in 1893, while the McDonald Almshouses were founded through the will of George McDonald leaving £10,000 to build eight homes completed in 1906 and are now Grade II listed. They continue to offer dignity, independence and community to their residents.

Across three buildings, the charity now provides 16 dwellings. Demand remains high, and a waiting list is in place and allocated on the basis of need. Recent years have brought major refurbishments, roofing and drainage repairs, and restoration after flood damage caused by a burst pipe. Maintaining old building brings its own challenges, and the charity relies on residents’ contributions, which are kept well below market rents, to fund ongoing upkeep.

Yet behind the bricks and beams, the heart of the charity is its people; residents who have built lives here, neighbours who look out for one another, and trustees who quietly steward a legacy stretching back more than a century.

Trustee Phil Devin said: “We are looking for trustee volunteers. Anybody interested in local heritage or community service would find a warm welcome and a rewarding role as a trustee. Please contact the charity via email on [email protected]

“Meanwhile, almshouses continue to do what they have always done; provide a safe, stable home for older Farnham residents who need it most.”