Felbury House
Felbury House is a small care home for the elderly, based in the Surrey Hills at Holmbury St Mary and has been running for 25 years. It offers assisted living and residential care to just 30 residents at a time.
Rural England Prosperity Fund project
Felbury House owned a diesel Volkswagen Caddy which can transport a wheelchair and four passengers. This was used for taking residents to the doctors, hospitals, and some other personal journeys locally. However, this vehicle was not suitable for any longer journeys and limits the number of residents which could be taken out at anyone time.
The Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) awarded the business a grant to purchase an electric minibus and signwriting to personalise the vehicle.
This allowed for more residents to be transported at once and opens the opportunity to go on day trips further afield and more often. Residents can enjoy local tourist sites and facilities, as well as rural businesses within the Surrey Hills area and beyond.
Project impact
This project has benefited the residents as well as the wider community. It has been incredibly popular with residents of the home but also other locals within the parish, such as the elderly and people who had become socially isolated. Regular trips out of the home for riveting activities provide numerous social and mental benefits for the residents. In fact, the residents were so enthralled at the idea of this project that before the grant was even approved, they were coming up with lists of potential activities to do together.
This has also created employment for a driver and staff to escort and support elderly residents and it also supports the growth of local small businesses, which are accessed by the residents.
Jo Kennedy, director, Felbury House said "The electric minibus has given us immediate access to a wide range of days out locally, visiting shops, art galleries, stately homes, coffee shops and garden centres all over Surrey. It has given us the opportunity to feel more connected with our local community. We've also been further afield to Littlehampton and Buckingham Palace!
I've sung the praises about this project to so many people in other small businesses locally so I hope others can benefit from the same support!
Thank you for everything, we are so grateful and are really enjoying our new found freedom."
Project costs, grant awarded
Total project cost: £25,800
Grant awarded: £12,900
Are you eligible for a Rural England Prosperity Fund grant for your project?
Inspired? Would your project be eligible for a Rural England Prosperity Fund grant? Could you get up to £50,000 and up to 50% of your capital costs with Rural England Prosperity Fund grant? Find out about the Rural England Prosperity Fund.
