Names announced for two new Extra Care schemes

Two new Extra Care developments under construction in Maesteg and Ynysawdre have been named by the local community.

The new schemes which are being built in partnership by Linc Cymru and Bridgend County Borough Council will provide a total of 45 Extra Care apartments for older people.

Extra Care facilities enable tenants to live within their own apartments fitted with all the equipment they need to remain safe and independent, while also having on site access to round-the-clock support.

Taking shape on the site of the former Maesteg Lower Comprehensive, the Maesteg scheme will be named ‘Ty Llwynderw’. It will feature 20 Extra Care apartments, 10 residential care rooms and a range of communal facilities including dining room, lounge, laundry room, salon, activity rooms and communal gardens.

The suggested name was put forward by local resident Barry Waters in honour of the town’s former Llwynderw secondary modern school, which he attended.

Barry, who won a £50 Love2Shop voucher for his idea, said: “I am over the moon to have won this. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Llwynderw School and it is great to have the name live on. It is lovely that they have included the community in such an important decision and that the name will stay. I am looking forward to telling my grandson, ‘grandad named that’.”

Linc’s Community Regeneration Manager Justine Scorrer said: “This is a building which will be a huge part of the community and it was only right that they had a say in what it would be called. We had some really fantastic suggestions and it was a hard decision but we loved the name and the story behind it.”

The street on which ‘Tŷ Llwynderw’ is being built will be called ‘Cae’r Ysgol’, which translates as ‘School Field’.

The Maesteg development is being built by Morganstone, while Jehu are the contractors working on the Ynysawdre scheme which will feature 25 Extra Care apartments, 15 residential care rooms and a range of communal facilities.

The scheme is being developed on the site of the former Archbishop McGrath School on land next to Coleg Cymunedol Y Dderwen and the new Brynmenyn Primary School. Nineteen affordable family homes are also being built at the site.

The public were invited to get involved by submitting names for the Ynysawdre development that were local, modern and Welsh.

The winning entry to name the road was Jayne Taylor’s suggestion of ‘Lôn Derw’, which translates as ‘Oak Lane’. She thought of the name because of the oak trees which used to grow around the old school, and said: “I think the name is nice because from little acorns, big oak trees grow, and that represents the old school.”

Joint winners of the Extra Care scheme’s name were Sally Hallett and Anne Szopa, who named it ‘Tŷ Ynysawdre’. Sally said: “We knew this area was Ynysawdre Farm before any buildings were on it, so we decided to stick with that name. It will be nice to know that the name will live on.”

Jayne, Sally and Anne each won vouchers for their ideas.

Extra Care facilities are designed to better meet people’s changing needs as they grow older while making sure that they can live independently and remain active for as long as possible.

These two new major developments will offer huge benefits for local people as part of our ongoing plans for modernising residential care services.

Councillor Phil White, Cabinet Member for Social Services and Early Help

Waiting lists for both new Extra Care schemes are now open ahead of the facilities opening their doors in late 2018 / early 2019. Applicants wishing to find out more about the eligibility criteria and to add their names to the waiting lists are advised to call Linc Cymru on 029 2047 4030 or 029 2047 4754.