Care home’s £800 gift to association of blind people

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Nov 19, 2013

Fund-raisers have presented a cheque for £800 to the East Sussex Association of Blind and Partially-Sighted People which has its headquarters in Hailsham.

The charity has been chosen to benefit on a regular basis from events held at Bowes House, a new care home in the town.

Manager Alison Bowes said she was impressed by the way ESAB worked closely with its members to meet their needs and enable them to lead independent lives.

“We work closely with the charity ourselves and some of our residents are benefitting from the services they offer and so they make a very worthy charity of choice.”

Care UK which owns Bowes House boosted the fund-raising with a £500 donation and the rest of the money was raised through raffles, a harvest supper and entertainment evenings organised by volunteer Mary Laxton and weekend receptionist Jean Mann.

Chief executive of ESAB Daniel Brookbank said he was grateful for the generous donation which would help to cover the travelling expenses of the charity’s User Reference Group which consulted regularly with members.

The cheque was presented to Mr Brookbank, and trustee Sue Slade, on Friday, November 15, by Bowes House customer relations manager Anne Morris and volunteer Mary Laxton.

Sue Slade chairs a Herstmonceux group of ESAB members which meets every other month at Bowes House in Battle Road, Hailsham. “The facilities here are superb,” she said.

Also ESAB support workers go into Bowes House to meet residents who particularly enjoy the talking book library service offered by the charity.