£1.5m respite centre opens
Released: 10 August 2007
A new £1.5m ‘home away from home’ for adults with a learning disability has officially opened.
The Ernest Bold Resource Centre offers adults with a learning disability a place to stay overnight or at weekends and promotes users’ independence by allowing them to make new friends and learn new skills. By offering a short break service, it also gives their carers some much-needed respite.
The centre in Wolverhampton Street, Bilston, replaces outdated facilities at Muchall Grove, and has six ensuite bedrooms, two of which are specially equipped for people with additional physical disabilities. There is also an extra bedroom available for families who are experiencing an emergency situation.
Service users and their carers turned out in force for the official opening by Cllr Geoff Foster, Wolverhampton City Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults, on Wednesday, August 8.
He said: “We’ve listened to the needs of carers, families and those who have learning disabilities and are proud to be able to provide this much needed short break service.
“Everybody is really positive about the facilities, about the setting, about the quality of the building and the carers and the parents are absolutely overjoyed at this new facility for the people of Wolverhampton.”
Centre manager April Sennett added: “We are here to give carers a break in the way that supports them the best.
“If this was not available a lot of families would no longer be able to cope with looking after the person they care for in their own home.”
Staff, who man the centre 24 hours a day, run regular activities and occasional day trips, with the 80-or-so registered users deciding what they want to do at monthly meetings.
Wolverhampton City Council’s Learning Disability Joint Commissioning Officer Kathy Roper said the response from carers had been overwhelming.
She said: “Muchall Grove was no longer fit for purpose; we spoke to families using the service and they told us they wanted something better, brighter and newer.
“Feedback from carers has been really, really positive and people who stopped using our services are now interested in coming back to have their respite care at this new facility.”
Ernest Bold was built by Meriden-based contractors Chase Norton Construction. Alistair Lindsay, managing director, said: “Chase Norton is delighted to be involved in such a worthwhile project on behalf of Wolverhampton City Council.”
Issued by the press office.