Abbeyfield Background

History of The Abbeyfield Society

Founder

Abbeyfield began in 1956 when Richard Carr-Gomm became concerned at the number of sad elderly faces staring fixedly from windows, during a visit to Bermondsey, that he resigned his commission with the Coldstream Guards, moved from Chelsea Barracks to a bed-sit in Abbeyfield Road and became a home-help. During his visits as a home-help he found that loneliness was the problem and so he spent his army gratuity on a house in Eugenia Road and invited four lonely people to join him. By Christmas 1956 he had become the very first Abbeyfield housekeeper.
A group of interested people (one of whom became Mrs Carr-Gomm) had been meeting at a house in Abbeyfield Road, hence the title was given to the Society. In the space of two years six houses were opened in Bermondsey, housing 26 older people.
By the end of 1960, Abbeyfield societies had been formed in 8 London boroughs and in 15 localities outside London. An essential feature of the idea was - and still is - help by voluntary workers for older people in their own communities. The parent society was incorporated as The Abbeyfield Society, and is a nucleus for the whole movement.

The Abbeyfield Society today

The Abbeyfield Society has now grown to include around 300 member societies throughout the United Kingdom with over 700 houses providing accommodation for over 7500 residents, involving over 5,000 volunteers, and serviced by a small staff at its support office in St Albans, Hertfordshire.
Abbeyfield is divided into 11 administrative regions. Each has its own regional council composed of volunteers from societies in the region. The regional officers have regular meetings with each other, so that they can represent the views of their region through national committees. Member societies are initiated (and for the most part managed) by volunteers who come from all walks of life. Every society has its own elected executive comprising the Chair, the Treasurer and the Secretary. Members of the executive committee assume legal responsibilities.

Abbeyfield Hoylake and West Kirkby today - your questions answered

Our rooms in our sheltered houses are all en-suite comprising a studio room with a private bathroom attached including a walk in shower room.

All rooms in our residential home, Lear House, have their own individual bathrooms. Assisted baths and showers are provided on each floor of the house.

The majority of rooms are wheelchair accessible and all rooms can be accessed by those using walking frames. Both Lear House and Hoyle Road have lifts serving both floors. Hoyle Road also has a stair lift. Elliot House is all on one level.

In our two sheltered houses the Housekeeper sleeps on the premises and is on duty from approximately 8.30 in the morning to 2.00 in the afternoon. All rooms have Nurse Call alarms and are also connected to the “Lifeline” Alarm system, run by Wirral Partnership Homes.

In our Residential home, there is twenty four hour cover throughout the year and all rooms are attached to the Nurse Call system. It should be noted though that whilst the Care staff will manage the provision of drugs prescribed by the resident’s doctor, Lear House is not a Nursing home.

All fees are inclusive of all charges with the exception of a personal telephone and Sky Television. Terrestrial television signals are available in all rooms and the buildings are all connected up for Sky but the cost of the Sky box must be paid by the resident.

More detail is available about the specific houses by following the links at the top of the page.

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