Care Home Answers Community Group’s Sos

A DORSET care home has stepped in to save a community group which was at risk of closure due to a lack of volunteers.

The Open House group has been operating for 25 years from the village of Sandford, near Wareham, and is a place where members of the community come together on a monthly basis for social interaction and activities.

However, the main organiser is about to leave the area and two other volunteers are also retiring, so the future looked bleak for the group which regularly attracts over 20 people to its sessions.

But it’s future has now been secured after the Pine Martin Grange Care Community in Sandford agreed to take over the running of the group.

And the group has come full circle because the sessions are now being held in the Sandford Heritage Hall, a refurbished Victorian school and church hall in the grounds of Pine Martin Grange.

Open House used to run from the hall when it was a church ten years ago before it moved to Sandford St Martin’s Church.

Open House is now being overseen by Helen Mutton, Activity Coordinator at Pine Martin Grange.

Helen said: “We had regular visits to Open House as part of the activity programme at Pine Martin Grange so when we heard it was in danger of closing, we knew we had to step in to ensure this did not happen.

“Several of our residents attend Open House including someone who went to school in the heritage hall, another who taught there and a gentlemen who played the organ, so it’s a venue not only literally on our doorstep but which has lots of special meaning and memories as well.

“We are delighted to be running Open House and are hoping to attract even more people from our local community to join us for coffee, cake, raffle, games and, more importantly, some social interaction.”

Lesley Milsom, the former organiser of Open House who is leaving the area, said:
“There’s no doubt that if Pine Martin Grange hadn’t come forward then we would have to close after 25 years, which would have been incredibly sad indeed.

“It’s an important community asset so I am delighted that it can now continue thanks to the home and Helen in particular.”

Maureen Lever, who assists Lesley and will now work closely with Helen, said: “I have been involved with the church for 48 years so it’s fantastic we have been able to keep the group running with the support of Pine Martin Grange2.