A CONTROVERSIAL care home built on the site of a former pub has reunited an elderly lady with her family and friends.

Pensioner Betty Stothard had lived in Gosforth, Newcastle, for more than nine decades when her grand age meant she needed to go into residential care.

The 94-year-old was heartbroken when she was given the news she was to be uprooted from her family and friends and placed in a care home in Morpeth, 20 miles north of her home town.

But, thanks to a new scheme by Hadrian Healthcare, the grandmother is back in the community she loves.

The Transfer With Ease scheme is the brainchild of care home developer Hadrian Healthcare, to help those already residing in a care home to transfer to one of the group’s 11 facilities.

Mrs Stothard is now settling into the company’s Manor House Care Home, in Brunton Park, Gosforth, which opened last month.

As previously reported in the Chronicle, the £4m luxury care home in Gosforth was met with anger from locals when it was built on the site of the popular Royal George pub, which was closed down and demolished.

But 570 protest letters, a 527-name petition and objections from councillors, including council leader Coun John Shipley, who represents the Parklands ward, could not save the pub.

Mrs Stothard, who was not one of the protestors, said: “Having lived in Brunton Park all my life, it was heart-breaking moving away from my friends, and from the life I knew.

“I saw the early stages of The Manor House being built when I had to go into residential care so when my daughter-in-law heard about the transfer scheme, we wanted to be one of the first to put my name down so I could come back home.

“Now I am happy and content and with friends living just down the road, I get to see them every day.”

To assist in the transfer with minimal disruption to residents, Hadrian Healthcare honour outstanding fees of current notice periods and offer removal expenses.

Manager of The Manor House Jill Tait said: “It’s situations such as Betty’s that gave us the idea to initially set up the scheme.

“Leaving your home town to move away into residential care can be an emotional upheaval for everyone, so we wanted to offer a way that care-home residents could choose to move into another of our homes in an area of their choice as easily and hassle-free as possible.”

The Manor House is the second care home to be launched by Hadrian Healthcare this year and is part of its Manor House Living brand.

The group has other developments in its portfolio and plans to open three more homes in Gateshead, Wetherby and Blyth by next spring.

By Sara Nichol

Source: chroniclelive.co.uk