The ceremony was performed by Professor Anthony Mellows, OBE, TD, Lord Prior of The Most Venerable Order of The Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem.

More than 100 guests attended the opening ceremony to celebrate the completion of the two-year project, including residents, staff, local dignitaries, Gloucestershire County Council representatives and executives from OSJCT and bpha, which together form the Gloucestershire Care Partnership (GCP). The 80-bed care facility provides 24 hour nursing and residential care to residents, in en suite accommodation, divided into four small and homely suites. Each suite has a communal lounge and dining room. The shape of the building gives residents the opportunity to enjoy the picturesque views of the Coopers and Chosen Hills.

Speaking at the ceremony, Sir Nicholas Mander, Chairman of GCP and Trustee of OSJCT, said: “Millbrook Lodge is the second new care facility to be opened in Gloucestershire as part of a £60m redevelopment programme of care facilities by the Gloucestershire Care Partnership, working in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council.

Louise Turley, Care Home Manager, Millbrook Lodge said: “Millbrook Lodge residents enjoy both a high quality living environment and the company and support of warm and friendly carers. I am proud that our wonderful new home is leading the way in helping to raise the standard of care for the elderly across Gloucestershire.’”

Cllr. Tony Hicks, Gloucestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Adult Care said: “The new care homes we are investing in are equipped to the highest standard, which will help us meet the challenges we face as people live longer and have increasingly complex needs. Millbrook Lodge boasts the very best facilities and the latest technology in a really homely, comfortable setting.”

John Cross, Chief Executive of bpha, added: “We are very pleased to have been involved with this new scheme. With more people living longer, facilities like Millbrook Lodge are important in helping the healthcare sector meet the needs of our aging population. Residents can have peace of mind from the care and support on offer at Millbrook Lodge and we hope they will enjoy living here. I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and commitment to this project.”

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Issued on behalf of The Orders of St John Care Trust by Lava. For further information contact Jan or Steph at Lava on 01522 842 800 / jan@lavapr.co.uk or steph@lavapr.co.uk.

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Martin Greener, OSJCT’s County Director, Lincolnshire, said that the OSJCT fully supported the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Awareness Week (4-10th July), which aims to encourage more people to become aware of the needs of those living with dementia.

“OSJCT has led the way in providing excellent care specifically designed for people with dementia. Here in Lincolnshire, we have implemented a series of new schemes to help improve the quality of life for residents affected by dementia,” said Martin.

“OSJCT has made a significant investment into ensuring that all our staff undertake specialist training in dementia care and innovative work has taken place within our care homes as a result.

“Initiatives such as Life History work and memory boxes help staff to get to know individual residents and their families more intimately,” he said. “This kind of care is focused on the individual and it means that the people we care for are helped to recall experiences and feelings of their earlier lives.  This helps them to have a richer daily life.

“We also encourage our residents’ families and friends to understand the impact of dementia on their relative or friend and, through simple activities and techniques, help them to make a real difference to their relative’s quality of life.’

For more information please contact Alison Whitlock on 01522 813111.

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Issued on behalf of The Orders of St John Care Trust by Lava. For further information contact Jan or Steph at Lava on 01522 842 800 / jan@lavapr.co.uk or steph@lavapr.co.uk

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International artist Ra Kajol is asking for photographs and ideas from people about what Skegness means to them. Images could be recent or old, featuring people or landmarks and could be taken from newspapers, magazine clippings or old postcards seeking to capture the spirit of Skegness and incorporate local history, creative ideas from local people, as well as popular Skegness images and famous icons.

Painting will begin on 12th July and will be see the pavements on Tower Esplanade, starting at the Clock Tower and running down to the RNLI Lifeboat Station transformed into a colourful canvas over 10 days.

The commission, part of ‘Colour and Light’ – a programme of visual and performing arts – will remain open 24 hours a day for the duration of the festival and beyond and will be free to view and walk over.

Kajol and his assistants also want local residents, schools and holidaymakers to pick up a brush and help create this unique piece of street artwork which will cover 4,000 square metres!

Organised by East Lindsey District Council, with £250,000 support from Arts Council England, SO Festival 2010 promises to build on the successes of last year’s event by delivering four days of exhilarating events.

Magnetic Events has been appointed by East Lindsey District Council to deliver SO Festival 2010. Festival Director, Robin Morley, said: “We have already had interest from local people and businesses who are keen to come and get involved with the painting, but we are also looking for ideas and photos from the local community as well as holiday makers who have visited Skegness to feature in this fantastic public artwork, which will be viewed by thousands of people during the festival.”

Cllr Doreen Stephenson, Leader of East Lindsey District Council, said: “The Traffic Art painting will be a celebration of art and will give people an opportunity to be actively involved in creating a legacy for the SO Festival. This is a chance for local people and visitors to come together and help create this piece of artwork, which will be the first of its kind in the UK.”

If you want to take part, there are opportunities to come and paint with the artist for a day, a half day, or even several days.  Please get in touch by email as soon as possible and tell which dates suit you.  We are looking for hundreds of local people to get involved.  So tell your friends and bring them along to take part with you!

People interested in donating images to feature in the painting of Traffic Art, or anyone interested in the group painting sessions, should email sofestival@e-lindsey.gov.uk or telephone Emma Hamilton on 01507 329443.

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Mr Cameron had come to thank Madley Park residents for the cards of congratulation they had made and sent to him following the General Election in May.

One of the residents he chatted to was Mrs Olive (“Jo”) Brooks, whose idea it had been to make the cards.  Mrs Brooks, who will be 90 in October, has been a staunch campaigner for Mr Cameron over the years and was recently invited to a garden party held near Mr Cameron’s constituency home.  He also met Mrs Eveline Oldroyd, who has just celebrated her 100th birthday.  Two years ago, Mrs Oldroyd visited the Houses of Parliament, having received tickets from Mr Cameron.

Mr Cameron also visited Madley Park’s ‘beach’ – an area of the garden designed to give a seaside air, complete with sand, red umbrella and deck-chairs, as well as the obligatory windbreak!

The Prime Minister said: “I was so pleased to receive the many homemade cards of congratulation from residents at Madley Park House and I wanted to drop by and personally thank everybody.  I am wholly dedicated to my constituents and their support means a great deal to me.”

Home Manager Maureen Judson said: “Mr Cameron’s visit was a great thrill for the residents and because he’s our local MP, many of them are familiar with him.  It really meant a lot to them that he should take the time in his busy schedule to come here and thank them personally for their cards.”

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Issued on behalf of The Orders of St John Care Trust by Lava. For further information contact Jan or Steph at Lava on 01522 842 800 / jan@lavapr.co.uk or steph@lavapr.co.uk

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The county director of Oxfordshire’s Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT) whose care homes are at the forefront in providing specialist dementia care in the county, said more awareness of the needs of people living with dementia could improve the quality of life for hundreds of people across the county.

Dan Hayes, OSJCT’s County Director, Oxfordshire, said that the OSJCT fully supported the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Awareness Week (4-10th July), which aims to encourage more people to become aware of the needs of those living with dementia.

“OSJCT has led the way in providing excellent care specifically designed for people with dementia. Here in Oxfordshire, the dementia support group, We’re There 4U, is just one of a series of new schemes to help improve the quality of life for residents affected by dementia,” he said.

The We’re There 4U Dementia Support Group was set up last year to give the relatives of those with dementia the chance to meet each other, find out more about dementia and learn how they can build a stronger relationship with their family member.

The support group, led by Elaine Ratcliffe, Area Operations Manager, and Cristina Pashmi, Training Manager for OSJCT, meets monthly at one of OSJCT’s 18 Oxfordshire care homes in turn to ensure that as many families as possible can take part.

Elaine said: “The support group was set up to help families and their elderly relatives enjoy a richer experience during their visits. We also wanted families to understand how we, as carers, are trained in techniques that provide their relatives with a higher quality of life day to day. By working together, we can make a real difference in the lives of our residents.

“We have had a fantastic response from families who have said that it has enabled them to develop a better connection with the family member living with dementia. We have also had people join who don’t have relatives in an OSJCT care home, but wanted a better understanding of dementia.”

Dan Hayes said: “OSJCT has made a significant investment into ensuring that all our staff undertake specialist training in dementia care and innovative work has taken place within our care homes as a result.

“Initiatives such as Life History work and memory boxes help staff to get to know individual residents and their families more intimately,” he said. “This kind of care is focused on the individual and it means that the people we care for are helped to recall experiences and feelings of their earlier lives.  This helps them to have a richer daily life.

“We also encourage our residents’ families and friends to understand the impact of dementia on their relative or friend and, through simple activities and techniques, help them to make a real difference to their relative’s quality of life.’

For more information please contact Catherine Dearden on 01865 202356.

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Issued on behalf of The Orders of St John Care Trust by Lava. For further information contact Jan or Steph at Lava on 01522 842 800 / jan@lavapr.co.uk or steph@lavapr.co.uk

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The Order of Malta’s St John’s Day ceremony, which was held at the Brompton Oratory in London on 24th June, was attended by more than 400 people, including Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, the Venerable Order of St. John and World Ambassadors.

Colin Titcombe, Graham Hipwell, Jean Houghton and Rachael Harris, who all work for The Orders of St John Care Trust’s (OSJCT) care homes, received Silver Medals of Merit for their dedication, enthusiasm and commitment to the care of elderly people.

Colin Titcombe, Wiltshire Operations Manager, was awarded a Silver Medal of Merit in recognition of his devotion to the Trust’s residents, staff and homes over the past 23 years.

County Surveyor Graham Hipwell, who is based in the Oxfordshire County office, was recognised for his outstanding commitment to the development and services of the Trust and care of its residents.  He has worked for OSJCT for nearly three years.

Home Manager Jean Houghton was rewarded for her outstanding contribution to the Trust and its residents during the six years she has worked for OSJCT at St Wilfrid’s Priory care home in Arundel, West Sussex.

Rachael Harris, Home Manager at The Elms care home in Gloucestershire, also received a Silver Medal for improving the rating of care homes across the county during the five years she has worked for the Trust.

The remaining six nominees were awarded Bronze Medals of Merit to recognise their outstanding enthusiasm and dedication towards OSJCT, its residents and care homes.

Nigel Reed, OSJCT’s Chief Executive said: “The Order of Malta awards ceremony is a really significant event. Very few of these awards are given out each year so it’s a special opportunity for outstanding staff to be congratulated and rewarded for their efforts over and above their normal job parameters.

“The Trust is extremely proud of the high standards of care it provides and we recognise that it is important to acknowledge and reward the special efforts made by our staff. ”

The British Association of The Order of Malta was founded in 1875.  A worldwide organisation dating from the eleventh century, the Order of Malta has 12,500 members, of whom around 500 belong to the British Association. Membership is by invitation only. The Order’s mission is to help those in need and OSJCT provides care for the elderly as part of this mission.

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From Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th July, SO You Dance will see over 30 performances and workshops taking place at XSite skate park and in Tower Gardens.

Dance group Urban Playground, will give two powerful and exciting performances of streetwise dance theatre and workshops at XSite skateboarding park on Friday 23rd July. They will be joined by dance troupes from across the region, including Flashmob, Sleaford Boys, Magic Movers and kNacker’d.

On Saturday 24th July, Vans, the action sports footwear company, will hold a Skate Workshop at XSite, which will include the UK Skate Association Skate Championship as well as street arts and breakdance workshops with internationally renowned Kilo and SINcru.

Saturday evening will see the Live Art Show with a performance and DJ set from up and coming hip hop act B’Boy.

On Sunday 25th July a Pro Skate Competition will take place at XSite. Live painting sessions and workshops by local artists will also be staged.

“We are very excited to have such a diverse range of young talent performing at SO Festival 2010,” said Festival Director, Robin Morley. “From street dance to skateboarding and from hip hop to street art, the SO You Dance programme is sure to offer something for everyone.”

SO You Dance is just one part of SO Festival 2010, which also sees artists, actors and performers from across Europe descending on Skegness, not only to entertain people but also broaden horizons, challenge perceptions and beliefs as well as leave a legacy to help change the way people see Skegness for the better.

SO Festival 2010’s core programme includes performances from internationally acclaimed street theatre companies Transe Express and Plasticiens Volants and music from Jools Holland and Lee Mead, as well as art installations and workshops from well known international and UK artists.

Thanks to funding from Arts Council England, the majority of events during SO Festival 2010 are free to attend.

For the very latest news and information visit www.sofestival.org or go to the SO Festival 2010 Twitter page, @SOFestival.

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Issued on behalf of SO Festival 2010, East Lindsey District Council and Arts Council England by Lava. For further information contact Matt, Jan, Becky or Steph at Lava on 01522 842 800 / matt@lavapr.co.uk, jan@lavapr.co.uk, becky@lavapr.co.uk, steph@lavapr.co.uk

To view all of Lava’s recent press releases or to sign up to receive them via RSS please visit http://www.lavapr.co.uk/press-releases or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lavapr