Champion jockey AP McCoy opens new care centre

Diamond Quality Care Service at New Greenham Park fills gap left by day care centre closures

A NEW care facility for people with mental and physical disabilities at New Greenham Park was officially opened by champion jockey AP McCoy yesterday (Wednesday).

Diamond Quality Care Service first opened its doors in December and will serve people with physical disabilities, those with head injuries and those who suffer from neurological conditions.

The idea for the centre was born after co-owner David Tait took voluntary redundancy last year when West Berkshire Council closed several day care centres, including the Ormonde centre in Newbury where he was employed.

Mr Tait, who runs the centre with his wife Ali, said: “When the council closed the centres last year, there was a great outcry, but we have now moved on from that and we are glad to fill that gap.”

He said their goal was to help people to help themselves: “We want to enable people to be independent and live in their homes.”

McCoy, a former BBC Sports Personality of the Year and Grand National winner who lives in Lambourn, had donated some of his personal gym equipment to the centre to be used for rehabilitation and said he felt honoured to be part of such a good cause.

He said: “It was just nice to be able to help. I am actually building a new house at the moment and had all this extra equipment lying around that would probably have gone into storage, so it's just good to be able to put it to use.”

One member who has been using the service since its opening, Robbie Raymond, was full of praise for the staff: “They treat us as normal people and really try to make us do things for ourselves.”

For more information on the centre, contact Ali Tait on (01635) 523410 .