ROOM WITH A VIEW - for the rich, not our ex-service men

Our wonderful council, London Borough of Richmond on Thames, have decided that the views from Richmond Hill are too good for our seriously injured servicemen, who have given their active life and limbs in the service to their country.

 

 

 

They have given planning permission for its conversion into 90 luxury flats (sorry, apartments) for the rich at £1,000,000 + each. A few years ago they did the same allowing luxury flats on the other side of the river, where the people’s ice rink used to be in Twickenham.

The Star and Garter site was donated to Queen Mary (consort of George V) in support of her plans to establish a home for paralysed and permanently disabled soldiers.

The building was dedicated in 1924 as the Women of the Empire's Memorial of the Great War it was formally opened by George V and Queen Mary on 10 July 1924

In 1948 residents of the home took part in a forerunner of the Paralympics’ Games, the first national athletic event for disabled athletes, organised by Dr Ludwig Guttmann.

The Star and Garter Home reeived a royal charterin 1979 adding the prefix 'Royal' to it's name.

Our council has no regard for heritage and tradition, by the dedication of a few people, the ‘Twickenham River Terrace Group’ for over 20 years has campaigned, with 10,000 supporters, and prevented the council giving planning permission for the building building of Luxury Flats, a Super Store and underground  cinema on Twickenham embankment.

The Jubilee Gardens on the site of the Twickenham swimming pool, bought with public money in 1925, has stopped this: but for how long?

 

The 'ELMES' of Teddington

The Teddington ‘Elmes Family’ in WW2. This photo frame travelled all round North Africa and Italy and was safely brought back to Teddington.( Ken and Alan standing, Vernon and Pauline on s tool)

The family was ‘evacuated’ to other family members in Hensdrige, Somerset when the flying bombs started to arrive. Their own home in Clonmel Road was severely damaged by high explosive bomb on houses opposite, spending a few hours buried in there garden Anderson shelter by door, windows and roof from their own home.

 

www.cox-elmes.co.uk

www.kenelmes.co.uk

Do our Council know what they are doing?

To whom it may concern

At the London Borough of Richmond on Thames

When in 2007 I opted for direct payment, at the councils suggestion, I was informed that this was to be spent to buy the care and assistance I needed when and how required. This worked out very well and satisfactory up until 2012.

The council decided, in 2012, to take a component of my disability living allowance as part of their care plan. This had the effect of reducing my available cash for care/PA by 5 hours a week. I have been trying to get my hours increased by this amount for many weeks. This also to account for my deteariating physical condition with encroaching age, extra help, all agree, I now need.

I have had the same career/PA now for over 3 years; we have worked together very well on flexi time according to what I want and need to do throughout the day. Always on telephone call, if required, he is very helpful and caring and now puts in many more hours than he is paid for.

Today, as it is sunny, after he has showered me he is driving out to the park or riverside for a walk with the wheelchair. On Wednesday afternoon taking me to a talk on ‘Historical Teddington’ and on Friday to a meeting at Ruils – ‘Your Say’. 

Twice a month he takes me to an evening committee meeting of an organisation I was a founder member many years ago. As I have said many times our care and life style is not regimented by set times, and is very flexible, I do not need extra careers but the hours reinstated for my long standing excising career, taken from my DLA.

Now the council, instead of allowing the 5 hours to be reinstated, started to send in agency care at set times throughout the day to do work my career/PA is all ready doing, at times we might be out. Today, Wednesday and Thursday we will be. This is not acceptable as it upsets our programme.

It is ridiculous that I ask for 5 hours to be reinstated at £9.00p per hour, £45 a week as my ‘DLA‘ used to be, and instead they send in agency care for over 7 hours a week, costing goodness know what at agency prices.

 

Kenneth Elmes,     18/02/2013

72, TW11 9QS

(020) 8977 2382

 

Foot note addition – As it was so nice, our outing ended up at Portsmouth, after a good lunch, having a good wheelchair walk along the sea front at Southsea