Standing room only support for New Holehird

7:30am Friday 26th March 2004

The fund-raising mission to try to keep open Windermere's well-loved Holehird home got off to a flying start this week.

There was standing room only at the Windermere Hydro hotel when around 250 people turned out to hear about New Holehird's plans for the home.

As previously reported, the national charity, Leonard Cheshire, which has run Holehird for more than 40 years, has announced it is to pull out of Windermere.

The charity has said that Holehird is not a suitable building to continue its work with disabled people, but that it intends to build a new home instead in the Lancaster or Morecambe Bay area. This would also accommodate residents from the Oaklands home in Garstang, Lancashire, which Leonard Cheshire is also to leave.

However, residents, their families, and volunteers at Holehird were devastated at the news and a group came forward to try to raise the money to keep open the home.

The New Holehird group, which has now become a registered charity, officially launched its mission this week, and received enthusiastic support.

Chairman Malcolm Thorogood opened the meeting, echoing the words of the song No Matter What by the band Boyzone that was played to start the proceedings.

"No matter what they tell us, we believe in Holehird," he said.

He said that although he did not agree with Leonard Cheshire's decision he could understand why the charity, which was a large organisation that had to make plans for the future, had decided to quit Windermere.

"To us it's very simple: Holehird is affordable, we think we have the ability to do it and above all, the residents want it."

As well as the residents' desire to stay in their home, there was also the worry that there were 48 residents in Holehird and Oaklands, but only 20 places proposed for the new Leonard Cheshire home. However, 35 of the residents of the two homes required nursing care to be available around the clock, Mr Thorogood said.

A 15-year financial plan had been drawn up, which would work even if the current 100 per cent occupancy level fell to 80 per cent. New Holehird also had plans to increase the respite care available.

The pressure was on to raise the £2.8 million needed by this time next year. There would be applications to the National Lottery and other grant-giving bodies, and many individuals and groups had come forward to fund-raise. A £500,000 anonymous donation had already been received.

People could leave the meeting, Mr Thorogood said, feeling proud, that with their help, "the story of care, compassion, love and laughter will go on and on."

One woman summed up by telling the meeting of her experience: "I have come to Holehird on respite for four times a year for the last three years. I thoroughly enjoy every minute of the time I spend there and the care I get is second to none. My husband is so grateful that I get this opportunity and he gets the chance to get away and have a break from caring for me."

The meeting was also shown a film made by Crosthwaite cameraman Jim Bownass, which will be used to promote the fund-raising efforts.

l The Westmorland and Lonsdale Liberal Democrats branch has given £250 to New Holehird. Prospective parliamentary candidate Tim Farron made the presentation after his party's leader, Charles Kennedy, was forced to pull out of a visit to Holehird because of his recent ill health.