A short history
We were founded in 1824 by Mrs Sarah Glover, widow of a prominent Birmingham builder Charles Glover.
The first almshouses were built on Steelhouse Lane in the city. They were originally for local poor, older women “who shall in the judgment of the Trustees be Godly persons”. Further almshouses were built nearby in 1852.
In 1930, the trust began building these almshouses in Sutton Coldfield. Residents from the city centre site moved here in 1932. A 1934 front page of the Birmingham Mail features residents under the banner headline ‘Haven of peace’.
Further additions and changes were made in 1953 and 1984.
Our future
The historic almshouses have been revitalised by a £2.9 million improvement programme, completed in 2017.
It involved refurbishing and extending the 31 existing cottages and building two new ones. The sympathetic modernisation work brought the cottages up-to-date and enhanced the site’s special character.
Through careful planning and phased building work, the disruption to residents was kept to a minimum. Most residents remained at the scheme while the work was underway.
This exciting project was funded by the Trust, with the help of Charity Bank. It is benefited from significant grant support from the government’s Homes and Communities Agency (now Homes England) and generous donations from charitable bodies.
Trustees
Glover’s is managed by a group of trustees. These are volunteers who live in the local community and have skills and experience from different walks of life.
The group meets six times a year, with individual trustees taking on specialist tasks and responsibilities, such as financial planning and planned maintenance. Residents can arrange to see a trustee about any matter of concern.