Community & Vocational Award

A woman who has been a leading light for more than 20 years in a care centre that provides a “home from home” for the elderly has been given a special award by a Rotary club.

Diane Craig, a volunteer who is the deputy chair at Millennium House in Dalton Road, which has been Abbeyfield Barrow’s home since 2000, was named as the recipient of Barrow Rotary Club’s Community and Vocational award which recognises the efforts, dedication, and achievements of people in the community who have given exceptional service.

Past president of the Rotary Club, Steve Murray, said: “I was involved at Millennium House for a short time and was able to see at first hand the residents living in what is a wonderful place with good staff and good volunteers.

“It is a real home from home, a hidden gem. Very homely and visitors, including many professionals, never fail to be impressed.

“The effort Diane has put in is truly amazing and this happens year after year. Her husband Tony provides magnificent support, solving all the problems from the lift breaking down, installing fixtures and fittings to changing light bulbs. When things go wrong a call is always made to Tony.”

Abbeyfield, now an international organisation, own establishments but also have independent members like Abbeyfield Barrow which is a stand alone charity, completely independent and provides supported housing for 11 older people.

The charity is run by volunteers who have paid staff who deliver the services to the residents. They have to stand on their own feet, pay the bills and make sure they are a viable concern.

Mr Murray explained that the first Abbeyfield in Barrow was the house at 135 Abbey Road, followed by 185 Abbey Road and then a third house, 14 Park Avenue, was acquired. In those days a house keeper made the meals, a deputy house keeper filled in and a volunteer house mother paid the wages and provided general support.

He said that in the early days there was not the need for other staff as there is now. There was some difficulty in filling all three of the Abbeyfield houses so 135 Abbey Road was sold and they eventually moved to their present home above shops at the Abbey Road end of Dalton Road.

Mr Murray added that Abbeyfield Barrow, opened in 1968, has a longstanding connection with Barrow Rotary Club in that club member the Rev Angus Rudd was the first chairman. Later Rotarian the late Norman Newsham was chairman for 10 years, the late Alan Cooksey was a friend of Abbeyfield and current club member Dennis Exley, who was involved with Ulverston Abbeyfield, wrote a set of performance standards used as a guide when Abbeyfield Barrow made the move to Millennium House. Club secretary Mike Tansey is maintaining the Barrow club’s connection, being a volunteer trustee.

Mr Murray said: “Diane initially got involved with Abbeyfield early in 1993 when her bachelor uncle got a place in the Abbey Road house. Diane joined the committee, hoping it would help him get settled.

“He moved on but Diane carried on, collected rents, paying staff and issuing money for food to the housekeepers. But two houses, with around ten residents, became hard to run with two housekeepers and other duplicated staff. Upgrading the houses would have been costly and almost impossible to do so Diane was involved in looking into a new build.

“Linking with Barrow Borough Council, they decided on a new build on the site in Dalton Road. Millennium House opened in 2000 and Diane helped, along with others, meeting the requirements of residents such as rooms, bathrooms, laundry, kitchen etc. She was also involved in raising funding as the society got enhanced grants having chosen a brownfield site, helping to upgrade the town centre as well as bringing residents into town.”

The society now employs six part-time staff and uses local suppliers where ever possible as local people supported the society when they needed it.