On 6 November, the Jersey Cheshire Home will be launching their annual Christmas raffle, with tickets going on sale at Cog & Sprocket, De Gruchy, Central Market, Charing Cross, Broad Street, Brook Street and at Eric Young House itself.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, this year’s raffle, which is sponsored by the Cog & Sprocket, will be the largest planned fundraising event that the Home has been able to complete in 2020. As a result, the Jersey Cheshire Home has organised great prizes and a fundraising target of at least £7,000; sufficient funds to cover the cost of running Eric Young House for one day. Prizes include an electric bike and helmet worth over £2,000, a fitness bundle worth over £600, a luxury staycation at the Club Hotel and Spa worth over £200, as well as more prizes which are listed on the Home’s website.
Following renovations in 2018, Eric Young House now has 28 residential rooms which provide a ‘home from home’ for the residents, all of whom have debilitating physical disabilities and can no longer live in their own home. With limited facilities elsewhere in the island, there is an ever-increasing demand for the services provided at Eric Young House, and the facility is always at full capacity.
Life at Eric Young House sees the residents involved in a range of activities which help provide stability as well as engagement and fun. These activities centre around the residents’ care and rehabilitation routines, but also shopping, banking, outings, craft and key calendar events, including Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas. The global pandemic has had far reaching consequences for many and the situation has placed considerable strain on the Jersey Cheshire Home residents and staff alike. With strict protocols in place to protect the highly vulnerable, adjusting to changed routines and visiting constraints have been mentally challenging for the Eric Young House residents.
David Lord, General Manager at the Jersey Cheshire Home, commented: “We will have to make changes to Christmas at Eric Young House this year. Traditionally, the Home is decorated in early December thanks to the fantastic team at Lloyds Bank.
“This year we will have to try and emulate the amazing work that these kind volunteers do for us to make sure the Home is looking its best for the big day, even if we are unable to have the residents’ family members at Eric Young House for Christmas Day. This will be really difficult for some of our residents and therefore we will work extra hard to organise some unique Christmas activities this year”.
Amongst other organised activities, in the weeks leading up to Christmas Day, residents will be attending a Christmas tea party at the home on 14 December. This festive event will include a guest appearance from the charity’s patron, Jersey’s Lieutenant Governor, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton GCB, BSc, FRAe.
Members of the public can purchase raffle tickets from 6 November up until 14 December from Cog & Sprocket, De Gruchy, Central Market, Charing Cross, Broad Street, Brook Street and of course at Eric Young House itself.
In addition, anyone wishing to help support the charity in other ways can find out more on the website or on the Facebook page.
