[heglasoreas]

I am deverstated that my one life line for regular respite is closing and I believe that we should do everything we can to keep it open. Will you help me please?

[mias]

heglasoreas, on 06 February 2011 - 01:13 AM, said:

I am deverstated that my one life line for regular respite is closing and I believe that we should do everything we can to keep it open. Will you help me please?

I have read about this place. Oh dear this is not good news. Do you have anymore details? Guessing it must be a financial decision, I would imagine it was well used.

Is it owned by Rethink? I don't know too much about it.

[mias]

I have just looked it up. It is owned by Rethink.

It looks a lovely place to stay and it is in a beautiful part of our country.

I wonder if it is run by just qualified staff or maybe volunteers?

[ramboself]

I think forresters were very understanding about me been too stressed out to join in the organised activities, they didn't insist on the structured activities like a lot of mental health places would have, they even let me have my cans though stristly it was no alcohol

I think it was expensive but that was the cost of activities and social services wsill pay for respite care were they won't pay for a holiday

I wonder now if the ferry to southampton would be banned in case a loony jumps overboard, it'd now be a breach of disability discrimination, i caught it and spent the journey with some yop seaman standing next to me and glaring at me

[cass]

I used Forresters three years ago when I needed respite from feeling very depressed and lonely. I gained a lot of confidence about travelling alone, and joining in activities, yet there was a freedom to move around locally. I felt very secure and it was a lovely break from my routine. For me it was expensive as I got no funding but as a one off experience it was very good.

[EART HL I NG]

heglasoreas, on 06 February 2011 - 01:13 AM, said:

I am deverstated that my one life line for regular respite is closing and I believe that we should do everything we can to keep it open. Will you help me please?

Is it really closing? This is terrible - why? I had a week there about 15 years ago - it's a fantastic respite centre. Why is it closing and when?

http://www.rethink.o...forresters.html

[EART HL I NG]

Just rang Forresters and a nice lady confirmed it is set to close at the end of March due to financial constraints.

Forresters costs £595 per week to stay with a shared bathroom and £770 with en-suite

Apparently bookings have been down lately and this has caused the decision to close it

[EART HL I NG]

I would recommend Forresters to anyone needing respite both sufferers and carers. It is run like a five star Hotel and is very luxurious and has great activities.

I'm really sad that it is closing

[mias]

I wonder if there is any chance of this place being 'saved'. It certainly is not inexpensive but it does sound a place that should be kept open.

Perhaps it would be used more if not so expensive.

Also a pity for the people that run it and work there.

[EART HL I NG]

My guess is that the social services funding for respite care has dried up - My guess is that most people going there would have been either subsidised or fully funded by social services

[ramboself]

i just wonder whats happpened to perceptions, the nsf old voices forum, there last mag they were rebelling from rethink policy so i was wondering if they were closing

Liked mickstup mouse, a cartoon strip by peter cridland about the adventures of a schiz mouse, it's cheered me up in some difficult times, the magazing was worth it for that

[EART HL I NG]

ramboself, on 08 February 2011 - 04:01 PM, said:

i just wonder whats happpened to perceptions, the nsf old voices forum, there last mag they were rebelling from rethink policy so i was wondering if they were closing

Liked mickstup mouse, a cartoon strip by peter cridland about the adventures of a schiz mouse, it's cheered me up in some difficult times, the magazing was worth it for that

http://www.voicesfor...uk/criddles.htm

http://www.voicesfor...uk/mickstup.htm

[EART HL I NG]

The old Forresters building has been knocked down to make way for this:

http://www.mccarthya...ton-Road-Hythe/

[ramboself]

I think it's a pity perceptions has sort of come to crisis, i got a lot of comfort from laughing at that mickstup mouse cartoon and the other articles, it's good to see someone find humour in those situations, i don't know the politics but seems it's not funded any more and rachel brett has disapeared

The politics seem to be lunatics had problems running it, much like they say about the rastas, they all shop at sainsburys they can't even get it together to open they're own store

I went to a rethink forum meeting it seems very carer orientated, like a lot of these carer organisations they need a user voice for credibility, it was the carer spin and the assumption it's all about carers and those cared for that got to me, unfortunayely i haven't got a carer and increasingly cameron is supporting carers and the idea of independent living is disapearing leaving me no where