Ground-breaking work begins in Mildenhall to fulfil the vision for older people’s care in the county

Company news

Jun 27, 2013

Care UK and Suffolk County Council have marked the start of a second development in a county-wide programme of investment in 10 new care homes and wellbeing centres with a ceremony on site at Great Heath in Mildenhall. This is the first development of a new home in the west of the County.

Councillor Alan Murray, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Care, Councillor Colin Noble, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance and Property, Richard Pearman, Business Development and Finance & Commercial Director at Care UK and Chris Hopkinson, Regional Operations Director at Care UK, were joined by their development partners Castleoak for the ground breaking ceremony.

The event marked not only the start on site for the new care home in Mildenhall but also the first of four new homes and wellbeing centres for West Suffolk. 

Toby Siddall, Managing Director of Residential Care Services at Care UK, said: “I would like to thank local people in the Mildenhall area for the way that they have welcomed us into the community and their interest in our proposals. Not only are we creating a top quality home  providing quality nursing care but the wellbeing centre has the potential to become a busy hub for all kinds of activities and services for older people still living in their own homes.”

Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Care at Suffolk County Council, Alan Murray said: “As care needs become more complex we are committed to ensuring Mildenhall residents are able to access facilities that can deliver the high quality care they need and deserve - This new development will ensure that is the case. The new home will become part of the Mildenhall community and therefore to have local people involved with naming it was important. Thank you to everyone who got involved and congratulations to those who came up with the winning name.”

The event also showcased the new name for the care home – Mildenhall Lodge. Care UK launched a ‘name the home’ competition in April and after deliberating over the top three ideas the chosen name is a combination of two suggestions made by local residents

Care UK received the go-ahead from Forest Heath District Council’s Planning and Development Control Committee in February and the new care home and wellbeing centre is due for completion in summer 2014. Construction partner for Care UK on the Great Heath site and the other nine developments in Suffolk is Castleoak, a highly regarded company that works exclusively in the care sector.

The design of the new care home, which will provide nursing care and specialist dementia care services, is spacious, light and airy, with many communal areas for residents to meet with family, friends and fellow residents. The generously sized bedrooms are all ensuite with shower facilities and to give a homely feel, small groups of residents will share their own dining room and lounge. The new home also has a garden and sitting out area and attractive facilities including a café, hairdressers and small cinema.

The wellbeing centre will provide day care activities and clubs which will help older people to maintain their independence for longer in their own homes and give valuable respite services for family carers. Additional health and therapy services will be shaped with input from the local community.

Residents of the nearby Wamil Court residential home will have the opportunity to move into the new care home or another of their choice.  Once all residents have moved from Wamil Court this care home will close.

By 2016 the new homes and wellbeing centres will replace all Suffolk County Council’s former homes and wellbeing centres which date mainly from the 1960s and 1970s.

For further information see  www.careuk.com/suffolk-new-homes or call 0333 321 0956.