A specialist care centre has doubled its capacity to 44 beds after raising over £3.9million through its capital appeal.
Sue Ryder Neurological Care Centre Dee View Court is Scotland’s only purpose-build neurological care centre and its expansion brings more badly-needed provision in specialist care to the country.
The centre, in Aberdeen, has increased its capacity from its initial 22 beds through converting unused areas of the existing building into new bedrooms and creating a four-bedroom garden annexe and new double storey annexe. In total, 14 new en-suite bedrooms and six apartments have been developed.
The Dee View Capital Appeal was launched in June 2017 to fund the expansion of the centre, to deliver on Sue Ryder’s ambition to deliver more care to more people in Scotland and the UK living with neurological conditions and acquired brain injury.
Within a year, it had already raised over £2million, with support from the Robertson Trust, which donated £500,000, and £286,000 from the Morrison’s Foundation. By the end of 2019, the £3million milestone was reached with support from across the UK to expand the specialist resource.
The appeal was supported with a visit from Her Majesty the Queen, who visited the facility in 2017 to meet residents, staff and board members who have committed themselves to expanding the Sue Ryder neurological provision in the North East of Scotland.
“Sue Ryder Neurological Care Centre Dee View Court cares for people from across Scotland and we have seen an increase in demand for our support in recent years, so expanding our service was crucial to providing expert care across a region that has a particular prevalence of neurological conditions,” says Valerie Maxwell, centre director for Sue Ryder Neurological Care Centre Dee View Court.
“Therefore, I am beyond delighted that our capital appeal target has been exceeded and I am so grateful to the mammoth efforts of local people, businesses and organisations who really believed in our cause and came on board to help.
“We can now provide a lifeline to more people, ensuring they maintain their independence, cultivate their circles of support and thrive in their everyday lives.”
Resident Elaine Diack, 63, moved into one of the centre’s new rooms in February 2020.
“We had visited Sue Ryder Neurological Care Centre Dee View Court and from the minute we walked in we could feel the life in the place. There was so much on offer and we knew that was the place we wanted Elaine to go,” her sister Allison says.
“As a family we have felt completely embraced by everyone at Sue Ryder. Nothing was too much trouble and for those few short weeks we were able to come and go before the pandemic set in, we knew there was always somebody there at the end of the phone or we could go and make a cup of tea if we needed one.
“It’s lovely how often the staff talk about the centre as being ‘home’ and creates a really comforting atmosphere. The other day I asked Elaine if she was happy and she just said, “yes”.”
