Rayleigh and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, who also serves as the Patron of the Friends of the Harbour Club Charity performed the happy duty of cutting a ribbon recently, to officially re-open the Harbour Club at their new home, in Hullbridge village.
The event, which was well attended by local people and families of those people who use the club, saw them firmly established in their new facilities, in the refurbished Victorian school house, which they have recently moved into having outgrown their previous premises at the Battlebridge Free Church, on the other side of the River Crouch.
The Harbour Club provides day care for those suffering from advanced dementia across the South Essex area. I was inspired by expert therapist, Jane Bushall, whose father unfortunately suffered from this condition. The move was accomplished with the help of Essex County Council, who provide the premises for a peppercorn, but self-repairing lease. As Patron of the Friends of the Harbour Club, a charity established to support their work in the community, Mark was pleased to perform the opening ceremony, accompanied by some words from the founder, Jane Bushall, along with a blessing being given for the good work of the new facility, by the Reverend David Oxterby, the Rector of Holy Trinity Church in Rayleigh.
Speaking about this special day, Mark Francois said:
“As the Patron of the Friends of the Harbour Club I was privileged to have the job of officially opening this wonderful, newly refurbished facility, in my constituency. The Harbour Club really do God’s work, in helping to look after aged members of our community for whom Dementia is unfortunately a daily challenge. Jane and her team provide both highly professional and extremely sympathetic care to such people, and, who knows, one day it could be one of us who requires their expert care. It was wonderful to see so many people present and I think everybody enjoyed the opportunity to mark this very special occasion. I wish the Harbour Club and all who work there and use its facilities all the very best for the future and I am proud to have them relocated to my constituency.”
