HOW DID THE
CARING COMMUNITY START?
Bexhill in
the 60s was – well - different. At that time the population was
about 28,000, in contrast to today’s 43,000.
The years
of food rationing and shortages were over, the buildings damaged
or destroyed by war-time bombing or rocket attacks had been
repaired or rebuilt.
National
Service and the Korean War were over and a ‘can-do’ attitude
prevailed.
Britain
had entered the ‘swinging sixties’. Most of the excesses of that
era bypassed Bexhill—except perhaps for the excitement of
mini-skirts!
Thankfully
even the Mods and Rockers preferred Hastings.
Commerce
in Bexhill was flourishing with a plethora of independent shops,
garages and schools—including Longley’s, Bexhill’s own
department store with its fashion departments and café in
Devonshire Road and the furniture store in St Leonards Road.
There were
three cinemas, a repertory company at the De LaWarr Pavilion and
Fortes ice cream parlour on the sea front - a meeting place for
the young - as was the Youth club in Buckhurst Road. The
Sailing, Rowing, Squash and Tennis clubs were buzzing.
The
housing boom was well under way with building on the new Penland
Wood estate and developments at Cooden, Little Common and
Pebsham.
BUT—the
Beeching axe closed the West station in 1964. The City commuters
started to move away contributing towards the closure of
Bexhill’s many independent schools. The popularity of cheap
holidays in the sun together with poor local road and rail links
combined to make Bexhill a town of retirees with one of the
highest proportions of elderly people anywhere in Britain.
It wasn’t
all doom and gloom. On the positive side, in 1961 the then
Hastings Health Authority appointed Dr ‘Bobby’ Irvine as the
first Consultant Geriatric Physician and at almost the same time
appointed Jan Smith as Matron.
Between
them they revolutionised the medical and nursing care of elderly
people— previously considered irredeemably ‘chronic sick’.
Together with Myrtle Bagnall, then Principal Hospital Worker,
they pioneered respite care schemes for families and the then
new concept that hospitals were for diagnosis and treatment, not
a dumping ground for the old and unwanted.
Their book
“The Older Patient” was translated into several languages and
became a standard textbook for many years. Bexhill had one of
the first Day Hospitals in the Country and attracted visitors
from across the World.
These
ground-breaking concepts of care meant encouraging and perhaps
forging new community links with the Town.
THE
“SOMETHING MUST BE DONE” SYNDROME
So Bexhill
was fertile ground when in 1965, Canon Michael Townroe, then
Rector of St Peter’s, decided ‘something must be done’ to help
older people who were lonely, disabled and isolated.
From the
admirable principle ‘start from where you are’, Michael looked
around his congregation and his many local contacts. He
identified Peter Evenden, Douglas Chamber— lain, who was a local
businessman and founder of the local branch of the Samaritans,
Cohn Shuttleworth—a family solicitor and Myrtle Bagnall both of
whom were also involved with the Samaritans, as was Michael and
his wife Beatrice.
In June
that year a meeting was held at the Town Hall, chaired by the
Mayor, Councillor Ernest Robinson, to which were invited
representatives of all the Bexhill churches, youth groups and
schools, Health Visitors, District Nurses and Social Services,
the Medical Officer of Health (Bexhill had one in those days!)
and many local organisations including the Association of
Bexhill Citizens, Business Women’s Club, Inner Wheel and many
others.
It was
decided to undertake a house-to-house survey to identify
peoples’ needs and wishes and to recruit volunteers willing to
befriend the lonely and housebound and to undertake minor tasks
such as shopping.
The survey
was organized by Peter Evenden and undertaken in the autumn of
1965. To everyone’s surprise (except perhaps, Michael Townroe)
over 500 people asked for help, mostly visiting and shopping and
almost the same number offered their time and their help.
THE GREAT
LEAP FORWARD
As a
temporary measure Douglas Chamberlain offered rent-free
accommodation in his offices at 39 St Leonards Road. Miss
Bendien was appointed Organizer in January 1966 and the first
committee meeting was held the following month.
STAFF
Miss
Bendien started the matching of “needs to deeds”. She was
succeeded in the summer of 1968 by Edward Leader and later by
Ann Penfold and Estelle Morris. In March 1975
Ruby Gilham took over as Organiser and in 1981 Irene Clark OBE.
SRN, was appointed as Deputy Organiser.
Ruby
retired in 1987 and was succeeded by Jill Halsall who left in
March 2005 to be followed by Margaret von Speyr in May that
year. All these organisers, supported by a small army of
volunteers and helpers, undertake office duties and staff the
many services provided by the Caring Community. Without their
dedication the Bexhill Caring Community could not have survived,
much less developed and grown.
OFFICES
From the
temporary perch in Douglas Chamberlain’s office, the Caring
Community moved briefly to Marina Court and then to rented
offices in Jameson Road.
In
September 1980 the Bexhill Council of Voluntary Services
purchased 38 Sackville Road as a headquarters for local charity
groups.
The Caring
Community moved to their new offices in 1981, together with the
Citizens Advice Bureau and other local organisations. The block
of offices was officially opened by Bishop Peter Ball later that
year.
By the
spring of 2004 BCVS decided it was no longer financially viable
for them to maintain the property and they decided to sell,
closing down the charity and dividing the assets between the
organisations who had used the building.
Bexhill
Caring Community was confronted with the problem of finding
other accommodation at short notice. The Executive Committee
were deeply grateful to Peter Phillips who cast his professional
eye over several ‘unsuitable’ properties before alighting on 25
Sackville Road. The offices are just about ideal—the right size,
on the ground floor with easy access, by a bus stop and owned by
David and Christopher Wickens who live and work locally and have
a real concern for Bexhill.
Redecorated, re-carpeted, refurnished, the offices were
officially opened by Mr Greg Barker MP, in February 2005.
CHARITABLE
STATUS
The BCC
was first registered as a charity in 1967. Over the 40 years our
services have extended and grown, a fact recognised this year,
2005, when The Bexhill Caring Community became a Charitable
Company Limited by Guarantee. This new legal status
significantly ensures the inclusion of the young in need as well
as the elderly in our community.
Mr Chown
became the first Treasurer in 1965, followed over the years by a
succession of Honorary Treasurers who have given their time and
expertise to the Caring Community.
Our only
financial assets are what the people of Bexhill give by way of
donations, fundraising activities and legacies. We are
enormously grateful to them all. Without them there would be no
Bexhill Caring Community.
VOLUNTEERS
Many more
volunteers are needed. If you care about your neighbours and
have some time to spare then contact us. The core of our human
assets is the people of Bexhill who serve as volunteers and we
are enormously grateful to them all.
OFFICE
SERVICES
The
offices are open from 9.00am to 12 noon Monday to Friday. At
other times messages can be left on the answer phone.
Mrs
Margaret von Speyr was appointed Manager in May 2005 and is
supported by Mrs Helen Tregidgo, Deputy Manager who is
responsible for Car Service, Mrs
Frances Rowland, Assistant Manager and Dial-a-Ride organizer
and Mrs Linda Trimby who is responsible for Finance.
The office
is always busy with people dropping in for information and
advice and to bring news of those who need help or have been
helped. For this we have a group of regular volunteers who
answer the phones and generally help the Staff with day-to-day
enquiries.
In
addition Harvest Festival and Christmas gifts from churches or
schools are often brought to the Caring Community for
distribution to suitable recipients.
The
Manager is always willing to give talks to local organisations
who wish to know more about our work. The Bexhill Caring
Community works closely with Social Services, doctors, nurses,
hospital services, solicitors and with friends, neighbours and
relatives concerned with the welfare of isolated and lonely
residents of Bexhill.
Who would
have guessed that from such modest beginnings the Bexhill Caring
Community would have developed into such a vibrant and vital
organization for the welfare of the disadvantaged and lonely in
our midst?
The next
40 years will, no doubt, bring to light new problems and new
facets of old problems.
May we hand it to our successors in good heart and with
gratitude for the confidence and farsightedness of those early
pioneers.