Anglican Retirement Villages (ARV) is undergoing the most significant realignment in 20 years, with a new mission and values statement reflecting a boost to ministry and affordability. ARV’s CEO Rob Freeman announced the new statement and vision in which, he says, “We see the breadth of our services continuing to develop as we aspire to reach more people in greater Sydney and the Illawarra”.

The new vision – “Reaching out, enriching lives, sharing the love of Jesus” – includes a plan to care for people struggling with affordability.

Ross Pendlebury, ARV’s general manager for governance and communications, says it’s an accident of history that some of its villages are in more comfortable parts of Sydney. “Castle Hill, our biggest site, was a farm on the outskirts of the city,” he says. “Only later did it develop into a nice part of Sydney. So this is now a deliberate push to go to some of the areas where it is more difficult to have a retirement community because people can’t afford to pay as much.”

The process began last year when ARV bought the old Thurles Castle Hotel in Chippendale which, when renovated, will provide accommodation for up to 15 older people at risk of homelessness. There will also be an “affordable village” on a rental basis for those not able to purchase entry to other types of housing. The organisation is currently looking for a site in Blacktown, Fairfield or Liverpool.

Already more than 100 units in existing villages have been converted to rental because, Mr Pendlebury says, “We want people to be able to come in and enjoy what ARV is about regardless of whether they have a capital base. It’s already happening within our existing villages, but as we look at this new low-cost centre, when we get the land and build it, our financial modelling assumes that it is fully rental”.

Such a program, according to ARV’s mission director, the Rev Chris Edwards, can’t help but have an effect on the community.

“How do you hear about Jesus if you are not coming into contact with Christians or if your greatest anxiety is ‘Where am i going to live?’ or ‘How am i going to look after mum and Dad?’,” he says.

“If we can meet that need... then why wouldn’t we, because that will allow us to care for people in a way that will open up opportunities for the gospel.”