Thomas Pocklington Trust is delighted that actress Maggie Steed will be their guest of honour when a show apartment is opened at their new £9 million extra-care sheltered housing centre for people with sight loss.
Date: Wednesday 3 December 2008
Time: 1400-1600
Venue: Pocklington Rise, Plympton, Plymouth (For full venue address and directions, please see “Notes to editors” below.)
Maggie Steed’s late mother, Edith Baker, was visually impaired and was a long-standing resident at Pocklington Rise until her death last year, and before construction of the new centre began. Maggie Steed, who was born in Plymouth and whose many popular roles have recently included the TV series Jam and Jerusalem, Born and Bred and Pie in the Sky, will make a speech.
There will also be a photo call when she and the Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Councillor Brian Vincent will cut a cake at the new Pocklington Rise centre to mark the show apartment opening. Also attending will be the Lady Mayoress, Pauline Murphy.
The new centre will be owned and managed by Thomas Pocklington Trust, the leading provider of housing, care and support services for people with sight loss in the UK. It will open in spring 2009 offering modern, specially designed accommodation for people with sight loss. Accommodation will be provided in 62 new studio, one and two bedroom apartments, available to rent or to buy.
Spacious communal facilities on the ground floor, which will include a lounge and restaurant, will offer a wide range of activities and entertainment, not only to the residents of the building, but to other older people living in the local area. Thomas Pocklington Trust will have a trained and experienced staff team, who will provide care and support services to tenants and leaseholders 24 hours a day.
The show apartment opening event is part of a 12 month-programme of events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Thomas Pocklington Trust. George and Margaret Cowley, who have lived at Pocklington Rise for eight years, will be presenting a special anniversary gift on behalf of residents.
Having had a preview of the new centre, Fred Vinnicombe, who lives at Pocklington Rise and who will be moving into one of the new flats, says: “It’s beautiful. There’s bags of space and bags of light!”
During construction of the new centre, Thomas Pocklington Trust has continued to offer residential care and sheltered housing services to its existing residents and tenants.
Residents receiving residential care have moved temporarily to Peirson House in Plymouth, leased by Plymouth City Council. They will move to the new centre in spring 2009. Meanwhile all tenants at the existing Pocklington Rise building, with the exception of those living in 14 flats which will remain untouched, will also move into the newly-built accommodation in the spring.
Julia Penfound, Plymouth City Council's head of modernisation for adult social care, says: "We'd like to congratulate Thomas Pocklington Trust for success-fully completing their show flat. We will be continuing to work with them in the future when we commission care and support services in the new building. Projects like this are crucial to the continuous development of care for vulnerable adults and older people. Extra care housing facilities enable people who need extra support to continue living independently but with the reassurance of knowing that someone is on hand should they need help. It's certainly the modern day solution to providing care and one that we fully support."
The new Pocklington Rise has been built by Midas Group. Their Chairman, Steve Hindley, will be a special guest at the event.
A registered charity, Thomas Pocklington Trust was founded in 1958 and in addition to housing and support provision, also funds research and development on sight loss issues, and publishes reports and guidance to support people with sight loss.
Notes to editors:
- Pocklington Rise address: George Lane, Plympton, Plymouth, PL7 1LJ. Tel: 01752 339 553. Directions: Pocklington Rise stands at the junction of George Lane and the Ridgeway, about a quarter of a mile east of Plympton village centre. Plympton lies just off the main A38 road from Exeter to Plymouth, about five miles from Plymouth.
- Approximate timetable of events:
1345 -1400 – drinks in lobby and Mayor arrives
1400 – welcome speech by Rodney Powell, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
1410 – Mayor’s speech
1420 – Rodney Powell introduces Maggie Steed
1425 – speech by Maggie Steed
1430 – Maggie Steed and Mayor cut cake
1440 – guided tours of new accommodation and refreshments (to 1600) - As a young person, Thomas Pocklington experienced temporary blindness. When he recovered, he vowed to make housing and care service for provision for adults over 16 years who were blind and partially sighted and not so fortunate in regaining their sight. From a legacy left by him in 1935, Thomas Pocklington Trust was created. For more general information about its work, please visit: www.pocklington-trust.org.uk
