Community room for caring group unveiled

Founded 45 years ago to help elderly and disadvantaged people in the town remain independent in their own homes, the charity has gone from supporting a few hundred people to 4,000 in various ways throughout each year.

These include help with everyday chores - cleaning, gardening and shopping, advice on welfare benefits and form-filling, a home library service for the housebound, equipment loans, a dial-a-ride bus and myriad other blessings for old and infirm people, and those with disabilities.

The new community room complements existing offices at 25 Sackville Road, leased to the charity by David and Christopher Wickens, and has been created at a cost of some 35,000.

It will provide a base for day centres - this month sees the amalgamation of BCC with the six Bexhill day centres as one charity, training sessions, coffee mornings and other fund-raising events, as well as being available for hire to other organisations in the town.

Organiser Margaret von Speyr paid tribute to all who contributed to the success of the project, turning a leaky, draughty garage workshop into a warm and welcoming environment.

The finished facility was officially opened by Miss Myrtle Bagnall, chairman of the charity's trustees and one of its founder members, who marked the occasion by unveiling a plaque.

She, too, praised the effort involved in creating the new amenity, but said Bexhill Caring Comunity - presented with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2006 - could not afford to rest on its laurels.

"To keep going we need more volunteers for all our services, and we need money," she told the audience. "One idea we would like to progress is the creation of a Friends of Bexhill Caring Community to help with fund-raising."

Anyone wishing to contact the charity, either for help or to help, should call 215116 or log on to: www.thebexhillcaringcommunity.org.uk