BOLTON'S latest sheltered housing scheme, a partnership development between Bolton Council and Anchor Housing Association, has been launched.

The scheme, at Thurstons, Wigan Road, Westhoughton, follows a partnership stretching back to 1988 when Rushey Fold Court opened in Blake Street, Bolton.

The Thurston scheme has come to fruition through the Bolton Community Homes initiative, where the council provides the land and the association builds the accommodation.

The total cost to the council of providing care across the schemes is £385,600 per year. The council's social services department has signed a care contract with Anchor which will employ and manage the team of care staff at Thurstons, looking after 32 tenants, most from the Westhoughton area.

Thurstons, completed in April 1995, consists of 28 one and two person flats which all have walk-in showers.

Communal facilities include a large lounge/dining room, luncheon club kitchen, quiet room with hairdressing facilities, two assisted bathrooms, guest bedroom with en-suite bathroom, and laundry.

The scheme offers a resident warden service and is linked to Anchor Call, Anchor's emergency alarm call system.

The Anchor care team provide comprehensive care including sleep-in cover. Additional home support is provided from time to time to people living in the community close to the scheme. The care team is managed by a co-ordinator who is responsible for planning and arranging the care which tenants need and ensuring that it is provided. The team also comprises two senior care workers and eight care workers.

In the last few weeks a Luncheon Club has been opened one day a week which supports a number of people living nearby.

Chairman of the social services committee Cllr Kenneth Peters, said: "This latest development marks a very successful association with Anchor stretching back over a number of years and I'm delighted it's being further expanded through the Bolton Community Homes Initiative." "It's comprehensive care with the assurance for relatives that people are in trained hands. By working together with Anchor to create another joint scheme we are able to offer facilities the council could not see its way to providing.

"The Government's Care in the Community scheme envisages local authorities developing a mixed market of care across the public and independent sectors and this project reflects that initiative with purpose-built accommodation tailored to tenants' needs."

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