Octopus Healthcare receives approval on major redevelopment for extra care accommodation in Birkdale

OCTOPUS Healthcare, part of the Octopus Group and leading investor in healthcare facilities throughout the UK and Ireland, is pleased to announce Sefton Council's approval of a major redevelopment of the former Birkdale School for Hearing Impaired Children, in Southport into an extra care accommodation site.  In April 2017, Octopus Healthcare submitted an over ₤35m investment proposal to redevelop of 40 Lancaster Road, Birkdale. The application was given the green light, on 17 October 2018, at Sefton Council's Planning Committee meeting, held at Bootle Town Hall.

The proposal includes the conversion and remodelling of the listed School building, with extensive repair and restoration of lost features. Construction of communal facilities, extra care accommodation and improvements to the grounds will also take place, with the aim of creating 113 extra care apartments and associated facilities including:- a bistro, residents' lounge, library and hair and beauty salon, as well as providing onsite care.

Cllr. Daren Veidman, Sefton Council's Cabinet Member for Planning and Building Control, said:- "We have worked extremely hard to secure a sustainable and sensitive use for the former School and this application will safeguard such an iconic building in our wonderful borough. The successful application will seek to secure the building's removal from the Council's listed buildings 'at risk' register while also contributing to the removal of West Birkdale conservation area from the national 'at risk' register. We look forward to working closely with Octopus Healthcare as they conserve, restore and develop this fantastic site."

The site was originally opened in 1901 as Terra Nova, a private boarding School, before it became the School for the partially hearing in 1948. It remained as such until 2003 when it was sold to developers and has remained vacant ever since. The building was made a grade II listed building in 1999.

Richard Dooley, Development Director at Octopus Healthcare, said:- "The Octopus Healthcare development team have had a busy 18 months working with Sefton Council to get this approval over the line. Being able to breathe new life into this iconic building and really giving it a purpose for the next 100 years is a great achievement. The environment we are trying to create will be a real testament to the future of elderly care."

Caring Joyce through to national finals

LOCAL caregiver Joyce Kelly has been nominated for a national award for her outstanding services to the home care sector. Joyce is 1 of only 5 finalists who are in the running for at home care company Home Instead Senior Care's national:- 'Caregiver of the Year' award.

Joyce, 81, joined the team in 2013 and for more than 5 years she has been an inspiration to the team and her clients. Joyce always goes above and beyond and says caregiving gives her a 'sense of purpose.'

Joyce was put forward for the award by Home Instead's owners Anthea Pilkington and Irene Hough. In nominating her, Anthea said:- "Joyce is the most marvellous caregiver you would ever meet. Everyone she meets loves her; she is a gem. I cannot emphasise enough how her role as a caregiver has brought joy to clients often younger than herself. Joyce inspires other caregivers, both old and new, and the best thing about her is that she loves her clients and truly cares about their welfare and wellbeing."

One example of Joyce going the extra mile was when she was looking after a client whose washing machine broke down suddenly. She didn't want her client to be without clean clothes, so she took the washing home with her and brought it back, clean and folded.

Joyce has also been known to take fresh vegetables from her own garden to her clients' homes as she wants them to reap the benefits of home grown vegetables.

One recent Christmas, Joyce knew that 1 of her clients would be alone, so she sacrificed spending the day with her own family and spent the day visiting her client so they wouldn't be on their own. 

Anthea concluded:- "We are so proud of Joyce getting this far in the national 'Caregiver of the Year' award competition, and our fingers are crossed for the final ceremony which takes place in December in Liverpool."

Home Instead employs over 9000 caregivers across its 190 UK offices. Each office was invited to nominate 1 outstanding caregiver.

For more information on the services offered by Home Instead Senior Care Southport, please call:- 01704 547938 or visit:- HomeInStead.Co.UK.