Nelson aged home project

Press, 14 March 1977, Page 4

Nelson aged home project

Staff Reporter Nelson

Nelson’s biggest welfare project for the aged, the Salvation Army’s Stoke home for the elderly, has been launched, and is well on the way to becoming a reality. In the army’s regional door-knock campaign this evening it is hoped to find the balance of the money required to fund the SI.2M project. The complex, comprising a 50-bed home and 41 pensioner cottages, will be on 2.023 hectares of land fronting on to Songer Street, Stoke. It is an ideal location, open to the sun, but close to the Stoke shopping centre and various churches, gardens, and sports grounds. Most of the pensioner cottages will be for single persons, but several will be for couples.

In the home, the hub of the complex, there will be main lounges, dining and recreation rooms, smoke rooms, individual sun rooms, and sitting rooms. Each bedroom will open

on to a verandah, and 49 of the 50 bedrooms will get some sun each day.

The complex has been designed by the Wellington firm of Fowler and Associates — the principal of the firm being the Mayor of Wellington, Mr E. M. C. Fowler. The Salvation Army plans to commence the first stage of the project of 11 cottages (nine single and two double) within six weeks of the conclusion of the fund-raising appeal. The second stage, which includes the manager’s and matron’s residences and the main 50bed building, will go to tender within the next six months. All this will cost about SI.2M. The Government will provide about $650,000 for the main block, plus up to $lO,OOO for each pensioner cottage (another $410,000).

The district’s target is $125,000, of which $49,000 was raised in 1974. The remaining $76,000 is being raised by sponsoring cottages at $2500 each — the

difference between the actual cost of each cottage ($12,500) and the Government subsidy. The balance will come from the annual door-knock and business appeal. The project has grown steadily, almost keeping pace with the demand for the pensioner accommodation the Health Department says is required for Nelson. The starting point was a 50-bed central building and 15 cottages. After the idea caught on the number became 28 cottages, and then the final figure of 41.

This accommodation will certainly help Nelson’s elderly and pensioner accommodation. The region is reasonably well catered for, hut Health Department records show that although there are units capable of housing 180 pensioners, another 190 require accommodation. The Salvation Army complex should cut this figure to about 100. All persons over 60. of any religous denomination, qualify for accom-

modation. A means test of $5OOO in total assets will apply to applicants.

Costs, too, are to be kept low. Rent for the cottages will not exceed one-sixth of income, or the appropriate social welfare benefit, and occupants of main-building rooms will pay $2B a week all found.

The district has already responded magnificently to the appeal. On the day the appeal was launched, $90,000 of the target had been given. Much of the success of the fund-raising has been through the combined efforts of Mr Jack Newman, the principal of Newman Brothers coachlines, and the chairman of the giant T.N.L. group in Nelson, and Mrs Joyce Tucker, his personal assistant. Mrs Tucker, as one of the “back-room” girls, had been responsible for much of the important, if mundane, side of the fundraising appeal.