Conroy Brook care home shortlisted for national award 

The Meridian Healthcare-owned The Oakes Care Home in Huddersfield, which was developed by local property developer Conroy Brook, has been shortlisted for a prestigious national Healthcare Design Award.

The annual Pinders Healthcare Design awards recognise design excellence in care homes throughout the UK and The Oakes has been shortlisted in the New Care Homes (Small) category.The judges have assessed, analysed and compared all the excellent designs submitted for this year’s awards. According to a spokesperson at Pinders,’the bar has been raised again this year and the chosen finalists are exceptional’.

Conroy Brook commenced work on the care home in 2011 and completed on schedule in April 2012. Former Huddersfield Town footballer Denis Law officially opened the facility, alongside the Mayor of Huddersfield Councillor David Ridgway, in August and it is already 80% full – a testament to the quality of the facilities and care provided.

The Oakes has been designed on the site of a former local authority home and makes good use of the existing mature trees to create a beautiful landscaped garden for residents. Residents living on the ground floor have large single bedrooms, each with an ensuite shower room, and many with patio doors opening out onto the delightful patio and gardens.

Residents with residential and dementia care needs are also welcomed at the home. Indeed the facilities for those with dementia are exceptional. A village store offers old-fashioned sweets, twine and other useful everyday objects, and memory boxes are located at every bedroom door. In addition the layout, carpets and furniture have been specially selected to support the needs of those with dementia.

The Conroy Brook and Meridian Healthcare partnership is no stranger to these design awards, having received Best New Development Award White Rose House, Holmfirth in 2005. The importance of good quality architecture and internal design is crucial says Meridian's Managing Director Susan Firth: "Our vision for the care of older people has always been the provision of excellent quality care and facilities. Having the design of our care centres recognised in this way is a fantastic testament to the effort and thought put in by everyone involved with our facilities."

Conroy Brook CEO, Richard Conroy, added: “We are delighted that The Oakes has been shortlisted for this prestigious award, and that we had the opportunity to work with Meridian once again. The development has brought back to life a redundant site, and we are proud to know that we have helped to create a vital facility that contributes to the health and wellbeing of the people of Kirklees.”The Pinders’ judges will visit The Oakes in early 2013 ahead of making their final decision. Winners in each category will be announced on 21st March 2013 at an event to be held in London.

For more information about The Oakes click here.
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