West Sussex Housing Society - our background
The West Sussex Housing Society was founded by local Rotarians in Shoreham and Southwick. Their aim, then as now, was to provide top class residential care homes on a non profit making basis.
The Society is managed by a committee drawn from the local community - all our members are all volunteers.
Day to day operations are controlled by our General Manager working closely with the two Home Managers.
The hard work of all the contributors, from the dedicated succession of Chairmen, committee members and wonderful volunteers has, over the succeeding years, created high standards of professional care.
History - in brief
The first home, Romans, was purchased by the Society from a Mrs. B. Twort in 1954. It was necessary to extend the premises, creating 22 bedrooms. The Care Home was opened in August 1956.
Mrs. Twort was impressed by the work of the Society and organised a number of fund-raising events, the result of which was a new home in Worthing. This became Rosemary Mount Care Home and was opened in 1976. Since then, alterations and improvements to both homes mean that we can now accommodate 59 residents.
Our chairmen
We are deeply indebted to the faithful work of the Society chairman
- Reg Browne
- Fred Russell
- David Loader
- Gordon Trevor
- Ian Swales
- Tony Matthews [current]
History - in depth
During the early days of the Club, members were searching for a major project which would have an impact on the local community and which might mitigate the problems of old folk living alone, unable to cope adequately for themselves. As early as 1949 there is a reference in Shorewicker to liaison with the West Sussex Housing Society, and the possibility was being explored of building eight bungalows, which the Society would administer.
The first positive action occurred in 1953 when Community Service Committee held a couple of special meetings to further the idea of providing a residential home for elderly people. The meetings were chaired by Harold Turrell, and at the first meeting Reg Browne and Lew Cook, who were members of the West Sussex Housing Society, were present. The Society had up to that time been dormant. At the second meeting Councillors Bayley and Thornton, the Chairmen of Shoreham and Southwick councils were also present.
From these meetings the idea that the club would channel it’s activities through the West Sussex Housing Society evolved. Almost immediately it became known that a suitable property was available in the right price range and in September 1954 Alex Seager, the then Chairman of Community Service, was able to inform the Club that negotiations for the purchase of the property through the Housing Society were well advanced. The Club agreed that enthusiastic support of the scheme to establish the Romans Home for the aged, should be the main effort of the Club throughout the coming year, and should be regarded as the main Jubilee year effort of the Club to commemorate 50 years of Rotary. Arthur Chidgey agreed to become Secretary of the Housing Society and Tony Partridge, Fred Russell and Alex Seager also became members. Reg Browne continued as Chairman.
The Housing Society completed the purchase of Romans in November 1954 for £3,500 with the help of a loan of £3,000 from Southwick Council at 3¾% interest repayable over 30 years. The original intention was to adapt the property to provide accommodation for 12 residents and staff with an opening date of August 1955. It soon became apparent that 12 residents were uneconomic and revised plans were prepared by Reg Browne, which involved building a new ground floor wing to provide a further 10 bedrooms. Southwick Council granted a further loan of £5,000, again repayable over 30 years but this time at 5¼% interest. The Society was faced with a substantial shortfall to meet the cost of many of the preliminaries, furniture and fittings, etc. and this is where the Club responded magnificently – various fund-raising efforts were arranged including the proceeds of the Charity Ball, and many Club members subscribed to 5% Loan Stock. In all these efforts the Club had the enthusiastic support of the Inner Wheel Club.
