Huntington Care Home Opens Dedicated 24/7 Nursing Community Honouring Residents’ Legacy
The Chase care home in Huntingdon has officially unveiled its brand-new ‘nursing community’, marked by a celebratory launch event on Medway Road. The first of its kind in Huntingdon, the service provides round-the-clock nursing care alongside residential and dementia support; ensuring residents and their families have access to the highest level of care whenever they need it.
The new community will be dedicated to two of The Chase’s own residents – Angela Owen-Smith OBE and Sonja Allerton – both of whom devoted their lives to medicine before retirement. In recognition of their service, commemorative plaques have been placed within the community as lasting tributes to the wisdom, compassion, and the inspiration they brought to their medical careers.
This development enhances the already extensive residential and dementia care services at The Chase with the introduction of dedicated, 24/7 nursing support. The project was led by General Manager Jessa Avila, a registered nurse with decades of frontline medical experience. She reflected:
“When we created this nursing community, we wanted it to be built on genuine insight from those who have lived and breathed medical care. By working closely with nurses, doctors, and carers — including Angela and Sonja — we’ve been able to shape a service that truly puts best practice and compassion at its heart. I’m incredibly proud of our team and delighted we can now provide an even deeper level of support for residents and their families.”
Both Angela and Sonja were consulted during the design process for the floor to ensure their decades of medical expertise would shape how the service is run.
Angela, a doctor of acute medicine, began her career in rural Malaysia before returning to the UK. She later founded Dreamdrops, a Huntingdonshire charity providing support to families navigating hospital or home-based care. Her outstanding contributions earned her an OBE at Buckingham Palace, where she was awarded her OBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II herself.
Sonja, who moved to the UK from Wolfsburg, Germany in 1949, worked in a sanatorium in Cambridge before becoming a nurse at the Royal Papworth Hospital. There, she assisted with the UK’s very first successful heart transplant operation, and went on to become a beloved mentor and role model for hundreds of young nurses.
Reflecting on the new nursing community, Connaught Care’s Chief Operating Officer Amanda Smith shares her thoughts:
“Having started my own journey in care as a carer, I know how much dedication, compassion and teamwork it takes to make a difference in someone’s life. That’s why opening this new nursing community at The Chase feels so special. I couldn’t be prouder of the team who brought this vision to life, and I know the community here in Huntingdon will feel its impact for years to come.”
The launch was attended by colleagues, residents, families, and local dignitaries. In her speech, the Mayor of Huntingdon Cllr Audrey McAdam praised the opening as a milestone for the town:
“This expansion is great news for Huntingdon. It means more career opportunities and progression for nurses locally. It means stronger support for our hospitals, working hand in hand to meet the growing needs of our community. And it means that families right here in Huntingdon can be assured that their loved ones will receive the very best care, in a beautiful environment, from highly trained professionals they know and trust.”
