Residential care charity seeks site for bigger home

A Guernsey home which offers residential care for people living with serious physical disabilities is exploring options to build a new, and bigger, home.

Guernsey Cheshire Home said it had invited land and property owners to come forward as it explores options for a long-term development.

Chairman Rob Shepherd said services at the current site, which first opened its doors in 1987, were limited and there were other people in the community who needed their support.

He said the current home would be unaffected and residents would continue to "receive the same high level of care they do today".

Shephard said: "We've known for about five or six years that long-term this home is not going to be sustainable to deliver the standard of care we want to maintain for our residents."

"We are looking for generous people in the island, we don't expect a freebie, who have a plot of land who would be interested in helping us build a new Cheshire Home for the next generation of the physically disabled," he said.

The Cheshire Home has 11 full-time residents and provides accommodation for respite visitors throughout the year.

The home said it received no direct funding or grants from the States of Guernsey or from Leonard Cheshire and all operating costs were met through fundraising, with £1.5m required each year to "maintain the home and its high standard of care and services residents deserve".

"We are very good at what we do, residents stay here a long time, we look after them extremely well," Shephard added.

"We know when someone comes to us, it's a long-term commitment, that's what makes it a family."

"We know our dealings from Health and Social Care (HSC) there's a pipeline of people who need our services over the next 20 to 30 years, and more."

He said if they were to find a suitable site, they would be making the home slightly bigger and have worked out "more or less" the costings.

Anyone who believes they may be able to assist or who would like to discuss opportunities are encouraged to get in touch with Cheshire Home.

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