Donation from the Merseyside Police Federation to Hoylake Cottage
Staff in the Dementia Unit at Hoylake Cottage Nursing Home received a £ 4,000 thank you for their ‘wonderful’ care in memory of a former police officer.
Donated by the Merseyside Police Federation, this money will be used to improve dementia treatment facilities for patients suffering from the disease.
It was presented in memory of Robert Hughes, who died in Alzheimer’s care home in January after being diagnosed 11 years ago.
He had been in the police force for 30 years.
A cricket match to celebrate Robert’s life will take place at the Wallasey Cricket Club this afternoon.
Praising the staff at Hoylake Cottage who looked after Robert during his four years at the house, his widow Margaret said: “There were five other residents on the top floor all linked to the police.
“The staff were absolutely wonderful here and made me feel at home.
“It was a very, very sad part of my life, but I made a lot of new friends. The wives, who have lost their loved ones, all go out for lunch together.”
Margaret, the widow of Robert Hughes, received a bouquet from the staff of Hoylake Cottage. Photo: Craig Manning
Jackie Newcombe, senior nurse at Hoylake Cottage Nursing Home, told the World: “As with all health care, we have been confronted with this horrible pandemic.
“We unfortunately lost long-time residents who were part of our lives at the chalet.
“The care we provide has been recognized for many years. We received recognition from the Police Federation for the loving care we gave to one of theirs.
“We are upset that the police have chosen us as their charity this year.
“We are a charity run nursing home that has been going through tough times, so closing our charity store in Hoylake and reducing our day center services during this time has been tough.
“We are hopefully coming out of this pandemic and would love to bring the community together.”
Merseyside Police Federation Charitable Trust primarily provides cash donations, but also gifts, food baskets and vouchers to individuals, very often to those who have been victims of crime, as well as contributions to help many other causes.
All of its beneficiaries are local and it also makes donations to various local charities.
Our funds come mainly from the pay packages of the police officers, retired police officers and police personnel who contribute to a small lottery, and this provides most of our funds.
Donations are described as “acts of kindness to those in need of help within the Merseyside community.”
Tony Fairclough, President of the Merseyside Police Federation, said: “Our fund is outward looking and enables members of the Merseyside Police (facilitated by the Merseyside Police Federation) to assist those in communities in which they serve.
“We are thrilled to be able to support the Dementia Unit at Hoylake Cottage Hospital, which provides such a valuable service to both those in need and their families.
“Members of the Merseyside Police have raised a sum of money to donate to the hospital and we are happy to have been able to add to this amount and support the organization which continues to provide care and assistance indispensable to the local community. ”