COLEFORD mayor Nick Penny showed his dance moves after he officially opened a summer fayre at the town’s Dora Matthews House.

The charity-run ’extra care’ facility, which opened four years ago and is named after community stalwart Dora, is home to those wanting to live independently but requiring some support.

And the residents of the 44 flats and five bungalows enjoyed a great day last Wednesday (July 17) as the event raised funds to buy its men their own shed.

“The ladies have got lots of facilities, like a hairdresser’s, treatment room, and the lads have been wanting a shed, where they can potter around and make themselves at home,” said manager Julie Element.

“Men love messing about in the shed, and they say it will be like a woman’s handbag - there will be no going in our shed!” she laughed.

“Some of the staff are going to take part in the Forest Mud Run to raise funds as well, and the fayre has kick-started the campaign.

“The staff have worked on their day off to put this on, and I should make a special mention for Donna Gwilliam and Sharon Ballinger, who’ve done so much work in their own time.”

With bunting decorating the main room and central garden, the fayre included a farmers’ market, a tombola, a raffle, food and drink, live music from AnnTeek, plus the mayor opening the event and Mr Whippy’s ice cream van also calling in.

And just days after overseeing the Coleford Music Festival, Cllr Penny was still in the mood to dance and wasted no time in taking to the floor.

Dora Matthews House, which is run by the Heritage Care charity, provides ‘extra care’ for people over 55, and is named after the community stalwart who used to run lunch clubs for the elderly on the same site when it was the library.

“We look after people who need a bit of support, but want to be independent as well,” said Julie.

“We’ve got people living with us with dementia, learning disabilities and physical disabilities, and we encourage people to be as independent as they can.

“We help where help is needed and are all about people’s well being in the community. We encourage clubs and town residents to come in and meet here.

“Our meeting room is free to hire for clubs or people, and we want to be at the hub of the community.

“The house is very open plan and really spacious, and it’s beautiful inside and out.

“We’ve got lovely gardens and outdoor balconies with fantastic rooftop views of Coleford, and a hairdressing salon, a laundry for the residents, and Cafe 16 are next door who will always respond to any tenant’s requests.

“The activities room hosts everything from exercise groups to art sessions, knit and knatter and photography, plus quizzes games and singalongs, and dementia memory clinic, plus we have a beauty and pamper room and a respite room for people out of hospital who are recovering from illness or injury, before they are well enough to go home.”

Resident Medina Brown, who now runs a shop in the house, is the youngest tenant at Dora Matthews, but was also the first to move in, on May 6, 2015.

“There was a lot of public fundraising to build the house because of the shortage of extra care provision in this area,” she said.

“It’s very good, because there wasn’t a place for severely disabled people. I need help but I want to be independent. I run a shop here and do some of the gardening, and it’s brilliant living here.

“It’s a happy community and very inclusive. We look out for each other, and the staff are brilliant. We’re a family.”