Social care providers celebrate opening of girls home in Denmead

Social care and education providers Hillcrest has branched out to Waterlooville.

The Mayor of Winchester, Councillor Jane Rutter, cut the rope at the home during a celebratory event on Wednesday.

Families were invited to see the services on offer to eight girls aged eight to 18, including year-round care and education placements.

Staff at the home will look to rebuild the girls’ low self-esteem with a range of outdoor activities.

By integrating a programme of camping, swimming, judo, dancing and horse-riding into the girls’ daily lives, they hope to give them a more positive self-image.

Bret Noades, who will take on the role of home manager, said: ‘I’m really looking forward to beginning my role and setting up the new service.’

‘The open day was a great opportunity for us to make links with the local community and demonstrate how the service will benefit the lives of the young people we support.’

Hillcrest also provides emotional and behavioural difficulties schools, services for adults with learning disabilities and autism, and non-residential schools for children with autism. It has set up several homes across Hampshire and Sussex.

Cllr Rutter said that being able to view the new home was ‘particularly moving’ for her, as she sat on the planning committee at Winchester City Council that gave the development its final approval.

She said: ‘We were very impressed with it at the time with the design. It’s certainly much needed in Hampshire and will be lovely for the girls.

‘It will be a complete change in setting for most of them and a lovely homely setting, which will significantly help them recover from the bad experiences.

‘It will give them a good grounding for their future lives, hopefully it will be a great new start.’