Barchester News

Castle care home staff save the day
18/07/2007
The Castle care homes in Hull has fallen victim to the floods sweeping the UK, but the actions of staff have meant residents came to no harm.

The Castle care homes in Hull has fallen victim to the floods sweeping the UK, but the actions of staff have meant residents came to no harm.

On Monday June 25th, the Castle care home was isolated by flood waters. The car park was flooded and fish from the pond were swimming around the car park!

Access was only possible by high chassis vehicles.

One wing of the bedrooms was flooded with two inches of water. But serious trouble was averted as the staff followed through with their training and evacuated residents and their belongings safely to a drier area.

The local emergency services have been overrun with people requiring assistance.

This has been a difficult time for both staff and residents at the home. Many of the staff's own homes were flooded and valuable property and belongings have been lost, not to mention those with sentimental value.

Janet Cooper from the home said: "At a time of great adversity, many of the staff showed exceptional professionalism and many stayed on duty overnight to help as people couldn't get to work.

"Some employees stayed on duty without being asked, even though their own homes were being flooded.

"We must pay tribute to these exceptional people and my thanks are truly heartfelt."

The home itself is awaiting structural estimates and much damage has occurred inside the building, with carpets coming up and floors becoming saturated.