Disabled mum delighted with her new home

Photo: Tony Miller

Progress pic of Crossley estate, Chadderton during major refurbishment. Pic shows Petworth Road resident, partially-sighted Katherine Haslam (right) with her personal assistant Caroline Moloney and guide dog Bea.

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A £30 million housing development has already made the world of difference to one Chadderton family.

After a nine-year wait, visually impaired and disabled mum-of-two Katherine Haslam has finally moved into a her dream home on Crossley estate, which is currently undergoing a massive rebuild, refurbishment and remodelling.

Katherine, who suffers from the genetic degenerative sight disease aniridia, and her children Alex (13) — who also sufferers from the disease — and Lance (17), who has respiratory problems, began a new life in a brand new home in Petworth Road.

Moving from a cramped two-bedroom home two streets away, which Katherine says they found almost impossible to live in, they now have three bedrooms, a host of adaptations to help them cope and — most importantly — a specially built outside dog loo for Bea the guide dog!

“We are absolutely thrilled with our new home,” said Katherine, who is an ardent fundraiser for Greater Manchester’s Guide Dogs for the Blind.

“We’ve lived two streets away for 13 years but I wanted to stay in the area.

“For the past 11 years I’ve had to sleep downstairs and I couldn’t use the bath because I have osteoarthritis in my back but now I have a wet room and adaptations, such as grab rails, which is making life so much easier.

“Bea has her guide dog pen outside which is fantastic and my daughter does trampolining so we’ve finally been able to buy her a proper trampoline to practise on because we have enough room.”
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