A NEW 64-bed care home has taken a leap toward reality with an official foundation stone laying ceremony.

The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT) Lakes Care Centre in South Cerney will serve Gloucestershire’s ageing population by providing residential and specialist dementia care in four 16-bed households, each with their own kitchen and communal living space.

Linking the two households on the ground floor will be communal space featuring a tearoom, hair-salon and garden lounge.

Supporters gathered on Tuesday, January 26, to watch as Gloucestershire County Council’s Cllr Dorcas Binns, cabinet member for older people and Margaret Willcox OBE, director of adult social services, officially kicked off the build.

Chris Poole, assistant operations director for OSJCT in Gloucestershire, said: “We’re thrilled about bringing a brand-new care facility to the county, especially with the increasing number of older people living in care and dementia becoming more and more prevalent every year.

“Construction is obviously at a very early stage but once it has progressed to a point where we can open a marketing suite, we will of course be inviting the local community to come and see the excellent facilities we will have to offer.

“We’ve definitely secured a great location in South Cerney and are confident that, once complete, The Lakes will provide people in the surrounding area with high quality care for years to come.”

The home, set to be complete by the end of the year, comes just a few weeks after the shock announcement that the Priory care home in nearby Tetbury would be shutting up shop at the end of March.

Cllr Dorcas Binns who together with Margaret Willcox unveiled the foundation stone, said: "We recognise that the population of Gloucestershire is ageing and that, as a result, there will be a growing need for good quality, high specification services, particularly for people with dementia. We are, therefore, very pleased to see developments such as The Lakes Care Centre taking place in the Cotswolds."

The home is being built by Stepnell Ltd in partnership with The Orders of St John Care Trust which will provide the care in the new home.

Stepnell joint managing director, Tom Wakeford, said: "We are immensely proud of our on-going relationship with The Orders of St John Care Trust through which we are together developing improved care facilities, most particularly for older people living with dementia."

For more information about OSJCT, visit www.osjct.co.uk.