Kennet And Thames CoHousing (KATCH)

We are Kennet And Thames CoHousing and we aim to bring a new and sustainable form of neighbourhood, cohousing, to Berkshire. In cohousing neighbourhoods, individuals and families have their own homes, but develop strong local networks and consciously foster community spirit by sharing some common facilities.

We are a group of committed households looking to develop a neighbourhood of between twenty and forty mixed-size dwellings. We are currently searching for a suitable site in the Berkshire area. We have been developing the ideas and networking under the umbrella of Cohousing Berkshire, the information body of cohousing for Berkshire. More information can be found at:

www.cohousingberks.org.uk

Networking with local authorities is part of our strategy, and we have gained the support of the West Berkshire Housing officers, one of the councillors, and MP Richard Benyon. We are also approaching Reading Borough Council. Cohousing is the sort of initiative that is now garnering political support across the spectrum for its focus on local activity, as well as its eco-friendly and socially cohesive qualities.

Our Values

For many people there is a recognition that modern society has become increasingly fractured, with people feeling isolated, often far from their families, and with minimal collaboration or even contact with their neighbours. Cohousing seeks to reverse this trend, and foster strong and caring local links while also caring for the physical environment. So our values are:

To be supportive and tolerant
To accept diversity and encourage balance
To cultivate community while respecting privacy
To share some resources
To develop an environment-friendly lifestyle
To be part of the wider community

For more details on our Values, click the link below:
Principles&Values.docx

Benefits of Cohousing to the Surrounding Communities

Cohousing aims to develop local networks and foster local activities, and this influence naturally spreads to the surrounding area. Specific benefits include:

Neighbourly-minded people
Locally focused residents to support local businesses, schools etc
Common facilities which may be used for local events
A few small workshops/business units which provide a local focus
Low-impact neighbourhood, through car pooling, resource sharing etc.
Stimulation of local networks