A RESIDENT of a Fenland care home is said to have threatened to commit suicide if it is closed.

The claim was made today by Liz Wright, whose mother is one of those that will have to move if Kingswood Home, March, is closed.

She said that at a residents meeting called to discuss the threatened closure “it was said that a resident tried to hang themselves after hearing the news.”

Ms Wright also claimed she had received “nothing useful” from MP Steve Barclay who she has asked for help in fighting the closure.

“My mother is one of the residents who love Kingswood Park and so I was at the meeting that announced the closure,” said Ms Wright.

“People do not accept this is being done to update the home but are convinced a property deal is at the bottom of it and for that reason they were asking such questions as how much was paid for the home initially by Sanctuary Housing when it was purchased and why was it not constantly upgraded in line with the agreement made at the time?” she said.

Ms Wright said it is believed that there is a covenant on the site and research is being done to uncover this that the land must be used for the people of March.

“There were questions about whether planning was given on the basis of it being a residential home only,” she said.

“According to my letter received today from Methodist Homes Association (who runs the home) we shall get the chance to put these questions to Sanctuary Housing (who own the building) on the 17th May at 6pm.

“Other questions included why, if it has been known since the beginning that the lease ends in November, has this all been done in such a hurry?

“The MHA website only had news of the consultation a couple of days before closure of the home was announced.”

Ms Wright said the heartbreaking questions came from residents.

“Do they realise how many hearts they are breaking?” one tearful resident asked and continued, “It’s all about money”.

“They’re as bad as Hitler” claimed one angry resident. “We’re not human now, not at all. We’ve worked hard all our lives, paid for this through the rates, we built it and now it’s being taken away.”

Another day care visitor said, “If I didn’t come here I’d sit in the house all day, all week, and all month.”

Perhaps the most heartbreaking statement came from one of the oldest residents, who said,

“I’ve lost all my other family. If I don’t stop with my friends I may as well be dead.”

Ms Wright added: “Also there are burials on the site with at least three people being interred. It is consecrated ground and questions were asked on the status of the land regarding burial.

“The last question which I have as well as the ones above regards moving residents to other homes.

“We were told that all the places coming up in March and district homes would be ring fenced for Kingswood Residents. This in effect means that other March residents may have to go out of the area then as there are simply not enough places for residential care in this area or face long waits.

“My major question is how will the residents be moved? Will they be moved one at a time as places come up thus leaving their friends?

Or will groups of friends be moved together as groups of places come up? I sincerely hope it is the latter but it is a question that needs answering sooner rather than later.”