For twins Jemma and Louise, having a place to call home means more than just a roof over their heads - it means being together again.

Both have a learning disability and, until recently, had spent two years living apart in different shared accommodation. They stayed in touch through phone calls and FaceTime, but both felt lonely and missed being close. “It feels great now because, we're both together now and I don't have to FaceTime her, I can see her in person,” says Jemma. “I did feel sad when we did get split up, but now I'm happy because we're together again.” Louise adds: “I think especially twins should be together.”

See Jemma and Louise’s story and how The Old Eight Bells is helping people live independently, with dignity and choice.

In early September, Resonance’s Supported Homes Fund, in partnership with United Response, one of the fund’s housing partners, celebrated tenants moving into the newly refurbished The Old Eight Bells in Mansfield, a restored historic building that has been transformed from ex-nightclub into a shared home for people with learning disabilities or who are autistic. The building now includes eight self-contained apartments, as well as a regional centre for United Response and a vibrant community hub at the heart of the town.

For Jemma and Louise, moving into their new apartments - right next door to each other - has been life changing. “It makes me feel happy and, excited,” says Jemma. “And I've got staff here that are really nice to me. And I love it here.” Louise adds, “I love it here, too.”

Now, they have their own living spaces, including kitchens and bathrooms - “Everything you need,” as they describe it - but they’re never far from company. “You can talk to staff and other residents who we’ve made friends with, so you don’t get lonely,” they explain.

They’ve also been getting involved in the local community, joining activities and gaining confidence through the support of the United Response team. “We like doing the choir together, going to town, seeing our mum and talking on The Old Eight Bells podcast ‘Our Journey, Our Voice’ – we talk about friendships, being a twin…” says Jemma. They’re also building independence in cooking and cleaning, and going for local walks – separately and together.

Jemma sums up what it means to have a home and to be together again: “Because we have each other and I wouldn't change my sister for the world because I would be lost without her.” Louise adds: “It's like having your own built-in best friend.”

Everyone deserves a place they can make their own - somewhere that feels safe, supportive, and filled with possibility. Through the Resonance Supported Homes Fund, and in partnership with providers like United Response, impact investment has helped to make The Old Eight Bells that place, for tenants like Jemma and Louise: a home that means independence, community, and - most importantly for them, as twins - being together again.

About the Resonance Supported Homes Fund

The Resonance Supported Homes Fund is a social impact investment property fund launched in July 2020 to provide much needed long-term homes for people with learning disabilities and autism.

The fund raised £15.2m in investment from four impact investors: Better Society Capital, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Barrow Cadbury Trust and Oxfordshire County Council.

The fund has bought 34 of the 36 properties it intends to purchase and refurbish (a mix of single-occupant properties and shared supported housing) across the UK. Thirty of these properties are already leased to the fund’s two housing partners, United Response and Golden Lane Housing, and between them, they are now providing housing and 24-hour support to 52 people with learning disabilities and autism.

The fund intends to fully deploy in early 2026.