MP formally asks Leonard Cheshire to pause decision to close Holehird care home

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has written to the Chief Executive of Leonard Cheshire, Ruth Owen, formally asking her to put on hold plans to close Holehird care home in Windermere.

Ahead of a Leonard Cheshire board meeting tomorrow, Tim has asked for the charity to suspend the process of making staff redundant and closing the home, in order to explore other options to save Holehird, including finding a new provider to take over the running of the home.

Meanwhile Tim's petition to save Holehird has already attracted more than 2,000 signatures since it was launched last Thursday.

Writing to Ruth Owen, Tim said: "Holehird is a very special place. For 60 years, the amazing staff and volunteers there have gone above and beyond to care for people with extremely complex needs and all manner of physical disabilities.

"The news that Leonard Cheshire are closing Holehird has therefore understandably been met with immense sadness and utter disbelief in the local community.

"At Leonard Cheshire's board meeting tomorrow, I would really encourage you to consider the following two options.

"The first is to allow me to broker discussions with the Holehird trustees, the county council and the various NHS commissioners who support the residents to look at ways of dealing with the funding difficulties that you have identified and potentially sharing costs and responsibilities.

"The second is give us the time to find a new provider to take over the running of the home.

"To achieve either of these solutions, we would urgently need Leonard Cheshire to suspend the consultation on making staff redundant and closing the care home.

"Indeed if you were even to consider either of the options, it would be vital for you to suspend the current closure plans.

"For the sake of the 24 residents and 63 members of staff, I formally ask you to press pause on the closure of Holehird care home while you consider these and any other options."