Robert Marshall-Andrews

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Like it's 2001 again, but this time they did close Shaws Wood

Bob Marshall-Andrews attending the 2001 protest march against the then proposed closure of Shaws Wood

In the early part of 2001 Bob Marshall-Andrews working with staff, residents, unions and Labour councillors campaigned successfully to save Strood’s Shaws Wood from closure.   The ruling Conservatives had proposed to close Medway Council’s Old People’s Home making some 100 frail elderly people homeless.   Under pressure the Tories did a U-turn pledging to both keep the home open and invest in the site’s re-development to bring the facilities up to a higher standard.

 

Last week, seemingly out of the blue, the Conservative controlled council undertook a second U-turn announcing the closure of Shaws Wood as a Linked Service provider.

 

Bob Marshall-Andrews said, “Maybe we should have seen it coming as the council had, over the last year or so, been undertaking a policy of not placing long-term residents in the home.  However the Conservatives had spoken about changing the focus of Shaws Wood making it a centre of excellence for elderly care, offering full range of care from short-term respite care to supporting the venerable in their own homes.”

 

“The 360 degree turnabout has seen the council giving its staff at Shaws Wood three days notice that their employment at the home was terminated.  It is outrageous that staff were informed that they need not come back into work after Friday, with a vague promise of deployment elsewhere in the council’s elderly services.”

 

“Those elderly residents who attend Shaws Wood’s day care will be gone by the 19th December.  In the past when I’ve visited the home I have spent time with those attending the day care and noted that it was a social event – very important part of their lives.  Some Happy Xmas message from the council then!”