£1 million appeal for student bungalows at Shropshire college

The college aims to provide fully accessible houses for students at Derwen College to help develop independent living skills which will prepare them for life after college. The plan is to modernise and adapt the properties in The Agnes Hunt Village - a complex of 28 bungalows based on the edge of Derwen College campus in Gobowen.

College Principal Meryl Green said Agnes Hunt Village was a unique and cherished part of the Derwen College campus.

"Created in the 1950s thanks to a huge fundraising drive, the complex of 28 bungalows was built for people with disabilities," she said.

Work began on the village in 1952 and was completed in 1955 thanks to a very successful fundraising appeal which raised £78,000 - £2million in today’s money.

The first residents moved into the village in 1955 and quickly made the Agnes Hunt Village their home.

After nearly 70 years of constant use, staff at Derwen College say the bungalows need to evolve further to keep pace with the changing needs of young people with special needs and disabilities.

“We want to create houses that will provide amazing learning environments for our students for the next 70 years," added Principal Green.

Generosity

"The Agnes Hunt Village is a fantastic resource for the college and hundreds of students have benefitted immensely from living there over the past decades.

"We want to continue that trailblazing spirit of the 1950s when the Agnes Hunt Village was built, and provide cutting-edge houses that all our students can access to learn, grow and become more independent.”

The college is appealing for help to reach its target and would like anyone who lived in the Agnes Hunt Village to get in touch to share their stories and help with fundraising.

Derwen College Fundraiser, Anna Evans said: “It is amazing to think that the Agnes Hunt Village was built thanks to a huge fundraising drive, thanks mainly to the generosity of the local community.

"The Agnes Hunt Village has definitely stood the test of time, and has enabled so many people to live independent lives.

"We need the community’s help again to modernise the bungalows and make sure they serve people with disability for another 70 years.”

The launch of the appeal will be on November 7 when anyone who thinks they could help can hear more about the project.

Anyone interested or who has lived in the village should contact Anna on 01691 661234 or email anna.evans@derwen.ac.uk