CHARITY
More from Life Giving their residents more from life, The Bevern Trust in Barcombe focus on love, care, freedom and opportunity. Jim West told Sara Whatley more about what the trust do
T
he Bevern Trust runs Bevern View, a purposebuilt residential home in Barcombe, just outside Lewes, providing life-long care for eleven young adults with profound disabilities. They are passionate about releasing people from the expectations others have about disability and offer love, care, freedom, and opportunity, allowing profoundly disabled people to get more from life.
“I have worked in care my whole adult life,” Jim West, Care Manager told me. “But never before have I experienced such a unique home. I feel honoured to work in such great company and I’m so proud of the staff and residents here. Our resident’s beautiful characters shine through.” Residents have a flexible programme, which includes a wide range of physical, music, art and hydrotherapies, an in-house sensory room, active reading times, wellbeing groups, and learning opportunities such as running a weekly café. The hotly contested Glow Bowling Championship is a huge hit with residents, each vying to win the coveted golden trophy! All the residents have especially enjoyed the new opportunities to go on outings since Covid-19 restrictions have eased and favourite trips have included
Eastbourne seafront, local garden centres, Stanmer Park and meeting with family and friends for lunch. Jim told me about one of their residents, Chloe. She is a young lady full of energy and happiness who loves to sing and shout along to musicals and 70s soul. “Chloe is 90% non-verbal, but she has brilliant comic timing; she drops in her ‘oh no!’ just at the right time to make the whole group laugh!” said Jim.
Chloe loves the water so they have made her a virtual reality experience where she is swimming in the ocean All the residents have breakfast and lunch together to enjoy time as a group. After breakfast Chloe heads to the Orientation Group, where the Communication Team sing with her using Makaton (a signing language). Each resident has three or four songs specific to them, using their name. Then Chloe enjoys grounding exercises which include gentle massage and pressure (with her permission) and breathing exercises – smelling the flowers and blowing out candles – to help her identify herself in space and time. Chloe particularly enjoys massage and pamper sessions and can’t wait to go out and get her hair and makeup done again. Tim and Immy are the amazing activities team who create bespoke activities for each resident and give
March 2022 | SUSSEX LIVING 135
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