Chiltern House care home: Gerrards Cross residents protest closure

The 22 disabled residents at Chiltern House, a Leonard Cheshire care home in Gerrards Cross, were caught off-guard when a proposal was suddenly announced at the beginning of September to close the facility by February 2024.

The home, which has hosted wider community events including quiz nights and fundraisers since 1988, also provides residents with a chosen family and caters specifically to adults with disabilities aged over 40, allowing them to build new relationships after, in many cases, having befallen life-changing incidents. 

The residents and staff are hopeful that staging protests, such as one organised by former employee Kimberley Cahill and held today, September 30, outside the Lighting Matters store in Gerrards Cross, will help to raise awareness of the difficult situation many of the residents have been left in – and attract potential buyers who could save the home.

Mark, 56, who has lived at Chiltern House since 1997, was left disabled after a scuba diving accident in South Africa resulted in him being declared brain dead by surgeons.

His family fought to keep him alive, and he has since become an active campaigner and spokesperson for others at the home who are less capable of communicating on their own behalf.

Mark said he was “tearful” at the prospect of leaving Chiltern House, which has given him “a good life” and allowed him to make the most of his youth and middle age in a way other care facilities would not have been able to.

“I think there’s a big gap in the care sector for middle-aged people. It’s a real worry, about what will happen in the future, because there are a lot of facilities that are focused on elderly and dementia care, but I wouldn’t want to be in a place like that.

“I’ve been able to do things like dinghy sailing and swimming here and have even gone on holidays with some of the staff. It’s difficult enough if you’re able-bodied with all your faculties to go to a new area, but I know some of us will find it really hard.”

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Jill, who is in her 50s and is in charge of organising activities at the home, said she initially joined the Chiltern House team 13 years ago for just a few months, but connected with the residents and other staff so much that she decided to stay on.

She is also concerned about what the future might hold, particularly for residents who struggle to communicate, and who might struggle even more in a strange and new environment.

“We know the residents and their needs really well – it’s so sad because they have built up real communities and friendships here. There are seven people in each wing of the house, and they all eat together at mealtimes and go out together on trips.

“Some of them originally come from quite far away, and they are worried that they’ll have to go back to far-flung parts of the UK. I just don’t think there is another home that will be the same as this.”

A spokesperson for Leonard Cheshire told the Free Press: “We appreciate any closure proposal causing a degree of upset and worry and we are working closely with everyone impacted.

“However, given the long-term trends at Chiltern House, we cannot justify the kind of long-term financial commitment necessary to modernise the service, so it has a sustainable future.

“Having considered all the circumstances and with great regret, we are now proposing to close Chiltern House.

“We have met residents and their families individually and will also be collaborating closely with commissioners to sensitively manage the situation.”

A consultation on the home’s closure is expected to conclude on October 5.