Norwich Bishop launches £95k home appeal
 2010: The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Rev Graham James, hosted a fundraising dinner at the Great Hospital, Bishopgate, on October 5 to launch the second phase of the charity appeal that aims to raise crucial funds for much needed building works at John Grooms Court.
John Grooms Court, Sprowston Road, Norwich, is home to 20 young disabled adults. The majority have multiple and complex disabilities such as MS, Spina Bifida, learning disabilities, and Parkinson’s. The care home is run by national Christian disability charity Livability.
The John Grooms Court appeal was launched in November 2008 to insure that John Grooms could continue to provide excellent levels of care and support to disabled people in the area and has so far raised over £580,000.
The fundraising for all of Phase 1 has now been completed and refurbishment work will start in December 2010. Phase 1 will be completed by April 2011. The second phase of the project now needs to raise £95K by the end of 2010 to complete the appeal.
Norwich faces a shortage of specialist care home places for young disabled adults with around 7,000 people registered as permanently sick or disabled and nearly 24,000 people registered as having a limiting long term illness.
The planned refurbishment at John Grooms Court includes: building a new lift shaft, enclosing a balcony, refurbishing two rooms, converting staff rooms into five accessible en-suite flats.
Each of the flatlets at John Grooms Court has its own kitchen and bathroom, unlike most other accommodation in the area for disabled young people. Residents are also provided with an activities co-ordinator who helps residents to achieve their aims and become an active part of the community. Residents enjoy going to the theatre, shops, arts and crafts classes as well as undertaking work placements
John Chamberlain, director of fundraising and marketing at Livability said: “We are delighted to be able to start the first part of the refurbishment work at John Grooms Court. John Grooms is a very special place and we have been overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity. We hope that people will continue supporting us for the second part of the fundraising appeal.”
For more information on Livability visit www.livability.org.uk
Pictured above is Bishop Graham James outside John Grooms Court. | 