Beaminster Councillors
Janet Page and
Caroline Payne discussing the need to keep St. Mary’s Day Care Centre open with local resident and centre user, Mr Albert Dawe.
Dorset County Council chose the season of goodwill to announce that they want to close Beaminster’s Day Centre.
Beaminster is the hub for a large rural area providing a range of valuable services - including St. Mary’s Day Care Centre. People come from miles around to use this service.
St. Mary’s is welcoming and safe, where people find a friendly caring face and familiar staff who can give them the attention that they need. They also have a cooked lunch. For some it is their only chance for a social life and to engage in activities that stimulate the mind and body.
Local Councillor Caroline Payne said, “I have been contacted by several people who use the Day Care Centre. They all spoke of the kindness of the carers and the pleasure of being with their friends in a safe and friendly environment. Someone from Hursey welcomed the opportunity to play Scrabble and the chance to be sociable. The Centre had helped her to ‘get her smile back’ and regain her confidence.”
“I believe that closing Day Care Centres will prove to be a false economy. Without their tonic many elderly people’s health will go downhill. This will cost the NHS far more in the end as well as ruining the final years of their lives.”
