Partnership has always been important to HCHA. Our small workforce works with a portfolio of specialists, complementing our in-house expertise.

Among our most valued partners are the public sector staff who work behind the scenes to fund our services and monitor service standards for our vulnerable clients.

In Harrow we work with teams responsible for housing, social services and young asylum seekers. We work with the local probation service, police youth teams, Connexions, and health authorities.

At Ewart House we work with two major national charities. Creative Support, which provides 24-hour personal care for residents, is a charity specialising in this form of care for highly vulnerable people.

The café at Ewart House is run by a catering team of people with learning disabilities, trained and supervised by the Shaw Trust.

Our partner on the building contract was Octavia Housing, a larger housing association whose help was invaluable in helping us raise public funding for Ewart House. A loan from Santander made good the balance.

Architects JCMT designed a building that is discreet, modern and sleek and that is hugely energy efficient. Two solar heating systems help power the building and rainwater is harvested for reuse, factors that helped it achieve level four of the code for sustainable homes.

Builders Mansell delivered a complex brief with few complications and minimal delays. We anticipate low ongoing maintenance costs.

Interior designers Stanbridge Interiors achieved one of the hardest tasks - using colours, textures and patterns to create visual signposts around the building, helping residents to pinpoint their location without crude institutional signage.

The exceptional quality of the interior is not just functional - it has a therapeutic value. Beautiful surroundings make people feel better. So we are also using professional interior designers to oversee improvements to some of our other sheltered schemes, starting at St Barnabas.