Charlotte Varcoe
THE Ryder-Cheshire Mount Gambier Home Foundation is one step closer to achieving its goal of building two more homes in the region.
Earlier this week, foundation president Matthew Dixon accepted a $10,000 donation from the Lakes Rotary Club to go towards the $2.4m project.
The donation was made in memory of late Rotary Club and foundation member Doctor Jerry Leech.
Mr Leech was a longtime club member and the foundation’s former treasurer and vice president.
The donation was made at a morning tea held at the Ryder home on Wednesday which also marked the 100th anniversary of the international humanitarian, the late Lady Sue Ryder.
Ms Ryder is known around the world as an important charitable figure after she volunteered with the Special Operations Executive in World War II.
She was also a member of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry which established the Sue Ryder Foundation.
The Ryder-Cheshire Foundation was established after Ms Ryder and Lord Leonard Cheshire of Woodhall married, setting up the foundation in 1959.
Mr Dixon said as a board it was important to look at where they came from but more important to look to the future.
“We have found a block of land and we have had plans done to build two new homes that would accommodate six people,” Mr Dixon said.
“We are going to need some federal government funding to help us do that and anyone else who would like to chip in as these places are very expensive to build because they have numbers of bathrooms and fire systems.”
He said the foundation would also include solar panels and batteries in order to make the facility the best it could be.
“We are waiting for Round Two of the Growing Better Regions as we did put in an expression of interest in the first round but we were not quite ready so we pulled that,” Mr Dixon said.
“We are now just about ready to put in a full application for the next round and hope it will open in the coming months.”
He said each home would have four rooms with one being a staff member’s study and bedroom.
“That is for people who need to stay there overnight and help the residents,” Mr Dixon said.
“It will take our current number of residents from 10 to 16 with each of our pre-existing homes housing five residents.”
He said having these homes was important for those living with a disability due to a lack of quality accommodation.
“There is a lack of accommodation generally for people wanting to rent but it is probably even worse for people with a disability,” he said.
“These are purpose built homes that anyone would be happy to live in and the facilities are well maintained as well.
“It is our mission to get people out of living in less than satisfactory accommodation.”
Dr Leech’s wife, Mary, welcomed the donation made in her late husband’s name claiming she was shocked at the total amount.
“This means so much to us because it was a very important wish for Jerry and it will be utilised well,” Ms Leech said.
“I was most surprised at the amount donated and when I saw the number I had to count the zeros.”
She said the homes were of great importance to her late husband who had a cousin with downs syndrome.
“Jerry had a lot of empathy for people out there in the community who needed any sort of help, particularly housing,” Ms Leech said.
“Since his passing I have had more than 300 emails from locally and overseas sending their condolences and I have spent months writing thank you letters.
“I could not believe what I got from overseas, it was absolutely amazing and I had no idea what he meant to people.”
Ms Leech thanked the community, particularly the Rotary Club and the foundation – both of which Mr Leech was particularly fond of.
