75 Years of Christian Caring

2024 was an exciting year for LWPHomes, celebrating its 75th Anniversary in great style.

A Visit to each Home by Bike

It all began in April with a major awareness and fundraising bike ride across the country – 645 miles were covered in all by our stalwart supporter, Robert Davie, from Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. He set out from Westerley, Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex, the first Home to be established in 1949, and completed his journey at the end of May to Westerley, Minehead in Somerset. You could call the venture ‘A Methodist Coast to Coast’ - a shell picked up on the beach at Westcliff was duly returned to the sea at Minehead, as a sign of the safe arrival of our cyclist at his destination!

The 4 LWPHomes sites did him proud, with a great send-off from Westcliff, including a short service led by one of the circuit ministers.  At Woodhall Spa there was a celebratory cake following morning prayers and another cake at Gainsborough – this time a birthday cake for Robert’s 69th birthday!  Minehead pulled out all the stops and our cyclist arrived to shouts of Hip, Hip, Hooray! from eagerly waiting residents, staff and local church members, followed by wonderful refreshments.


A Visit from the President of the Methodist Conference

The climax of the year’s 75th Anniversary Celebrations took place at Westerley, Westcliff on November 11th with the visit of the President of Conference, Rev Helen Cameron, who led a service of thanksgiving and celebration, attended by residents, staff, relatives, friends and members of the Southend Circuit, both ordained and lay.  There wasn’t much room to move, but everyone was delighted to meet the President and share time with each other over a copious buffet lunch.  The great chef at Westerley had also made a delicious 75th birthday cake and the President did us the honour of cutting it, before it was distributed for all to enjoy.  Musicians entertained us during the day and a visiting magician delighted the assembled company with his tricks!


Visits and activities by the residents 2024/2025

Lots has been going on in our Homes as well as the special 75th  celebrations.  Residents and staff have been incredibly busy with all sorts of different activities from Coffee mornings bringing visitors into the Home, to outings, taking residents out to visit places of interest, like the recent Snowdrop trip. How we would have loved to be at Minehead to welcome the alpacas and at Woodhall to share in the birthday party for the 100 and 103 year olds!  There have been other exciting times, like celebrating Chinese New Year, doing crafts with local schoolchildren and enjoying music from a ukelele band or a singing duo.  You can do ‘keep fit’ in our Homes and participate in activity sessions to create almost anything you like – some of the modelling and artwork our residents produce is amazing!