The Beeches Respite Care Centre in Reigate that had been threatened with closure has been reprieved, to the delight of those who have been campaigning vigorously to save the centre. On Friday 25th January, parents and students along with Sam Gyimah MP and Eithne Webster a local councillor and governor at Clifton Hill School in Caterham, met at Beeches to celebrate the reprieve with Surrey and Borders staff.

The Beeches five-bedroom bungalow gives 10 to 18 year olds with varying degrees of learning and physical disabilities the chance to stay away from home, learn skills, make friends and give their family and/or relatives a break from providing ongoing care. Surrey NHS had announced initially that it was closing the facility. However, campaigning by the parents and pressure on both Surrey and Borders NHS and Surrey NHS resulted in an equality and analysis report that showed: 'that the level of need presented by children attending Beeches ..is far more complex than in 2002' and highlighted: 'the positive health impact for…families, avoiding depression and poor mental health and allowing parents to cope and function.'

The initial reasoning for closure was that Beeches was under-used. However, the parents of children who use the bungalow felt that many other parents did not know about the facility and were not always told about it by professionals such as social workers.

For more information about the service provided by Beeches Respite Care Centre go to http://www.sabp.nhs.uk/services/young-persons/learning-disability-services-for-children-and-young-persons/index_html/beeches-bungalow