West Sussex veterans supported after closure of daily lunch club

The respite centre for serving and former RAF personnel came second in our recent Herald and Gazette Care Home of the Year competition, with winners chosen by votes from readers.

It has been emphasised that Princess Marina House, which provides respite and care breaks, has had no cases of suspected COVID-19 reported by guests or the staff team.

The charity says its actions have been taken solely to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus and safeguard the people who use its services, staff and suppliers.

In a statement, the charity said: “We are entirely guided by the government’s strong advice.

“Princess Marina House prides itself on putting its respite guests first. Beneficiaries travel from many parts of the country to come for a break, meet old friends and make new ones, and it is the case that many of them are older and have complex care needs.

“In line with the government’s strong advice regarding social distancing, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel stays, suspend all new bookings and stop our popular lunch club until the government’s advice allows us to resume our operations.

“We will continue to support beneficiaries in the local community through our Respite at Home service and will introduce telephone calls to those who might have stayed to help reduce any sense of social isolation, and to check on their welfare.”

As soon as Princess Marina House is able to recommence operations, staff will be in contact with guests. In the meantime, check for updates on the website www.rafbf.org

The charity said: “The welfare of our beneficiaries is at the centre of the fund’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. We want to reassure anyone currently supported by the fund, or anyone who needs our support, that we are working hard to ensure we will be able to continue to meet their needs.”

All enquiries into the RAF Benevolent Fund via phone on 0300 102 1919, email to [email protected] or online via the website will be answered and dealt with as quickly as possible.

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