WATLINGTON HOSPITAL CHARITABLE TRUST (WHCT) Registered Charity no: 1083847
Watlington and District Nursing Home would not exist were it not for WHCT. When the Community Hospital closed in 2000, WHCT was formed and after enormous effort by the Trustees and the generosity of local people, nearly £2,000,000 was raised to purchase the site. WHCT appointed Sanctuary Care to build and run a nursing ho
me, which opened in 2004. The Trustees also leased land to the GPs to build the Chiltern Surgery. The success of this enterprise was largely due to the indefatigable work of Charles Farrell, MC, who sadly died earlier this year aged 96. He got together the original trustees and led public support for the project to its conclusion. There are 60 en suite rooms providing a wide range of care: 15 beds for NHS Intermediate Care (patients discharged from hospital who need rehabilitation), 15 beds for general nursing and 30 beds on the ground floor for those with memory loss, who require specialist care and nursing. The majority of those admitted are publicly funded, and come from Watlington and the local neighbourhood. The Trustees oversee the care provided through formal and regular meetings with Sanctuary Care at the Nursing Home. During 2014 Sanctuary built the Orangery as a comfortable and attractive lounge for ground floor residents, and in 2015 a new walled garden is being made where they can enjoy being outside. WHCT has contributed £15,000 towards the substantial costs of this project. This year WHCT has replaced the old minibus which had done good work for 11 years, at a cost of £56,000. There have also been expenses in maintaining the listed wall round the surgery car park, and in improving the car park. So with this year’s expenditure at around £85,000, the trustees are especially grateful for the wonderful support of the Christmas Fair. The annual Christmas Fair is the only fund raising event. On average, it meets nearly one third of the WHCT needs. The balance comes from the return on capital which was raised at the start of the project in 2001, and other occasional donations. Contact us at WHCTXmasFair@outlook.com
