Care home eyes local workforce

More than 70 jobs will be available at a new residential care home open in Southwell.

Building work at Southwell Court Care Centre, on the corner of Upton Road and Crew Lane, is nearing completion and the home is expected to open in May.

It will be the first care home to open in the town since The Old Vicarage, Westgate, was closed by Nottinghamshire County Council in 2004.

There is a sheltered housing development, Moorfield Court, on Nottingham Road but the closest care home to the town is Highfields Nursing and Residential Home in Edingley.

The manager of the new home, Mrs Simone Wells, said they wanted to employ people from Southwell and the surrounding area.

She said jobs would range from chefs, care assistants and housekeepers to a deputy manager.

They were planning to use local businesses to provide fruit, vegetables, meat and fish for residents’ meals.

“It will be a real community team effort,” she said.

Mrs Wells said a jobs fair would be held in Southwell to help recruit staff.

She said the care home, which will cater for 71 residents, will include a dance floor, a cinema screen and a shop that the residents would help to run. Regular outings would also be provided.

The home will be privately run but rooms will be provided for residents whose care is paid for by Nottinghamshire County Council.

The leader of Southwell Town Council, Mr Peter Harris, said: “I am very pleased to hear the commitment that the management has shown to Southwell.

“The town is looking forward to having a purpose-built residential home in its centre.”

Mr Harris said it was unfortunate that a residential care facility had not been available in the town, although there were others in surrounding villages.

He said the new home would offer a different kind of care to Moorfield Court that opened in October 2004.

An open day is being planned for April to allow people to look around before the home opens.