Alastrean House to close...!!

The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund (RAFBF) have announced the forthcoming closure of Alastrean House. As you will know from the previous page, this house was donated by Lady MacRobert to the fund and is very close to the us who have an interest in the MacRobert's Reply story.

The news of the closure will hit the residents very hard, it will be a crushing blow for them. These people put their trust and faith in the RAFBF providing them with a home for the rest of their days and now they have a right to feel betrayed and thoroughly let down.

The RAFBF say that the fall in the stock market and the continuing substantial deficit between the Fund's income and very high levels of welfare expenditure have resulted in the Fund's reserves falling by almost 50% over the last 3 years. As a result the RAFBF undertook a review of the way in which the charity can best help those who need support. The results of the review revealed that the cost of supporting beneficiaries in their own care homes represented a large subsidy and was disproportionate to the number of residents involved. They decided therefore that they should gradually transfer the provision of long term care from Alastrean House to the public or private sector. The closure at Alastrean is to be a phased one with the first residents having to be out by the end of 2005.

What the RAFBF are saying is that they can save money by closing Alastrean House and relocating the residents to the public/private sector, which will allow them to help more people who might require assistance from the Fund in the future.

Alastrean House is quite an amazing place. It has a wonderful atmosphere, very warm and friendly. It really is like a big family where everyone looks out for one another. It is not only home to the many people who live there, it is also a small community. Relocating those who live there is not only going to remove them from the place that they consider to be their home, but it is also removing them from the surroundings that they have forged friendships both at Alastrean and in the village of Tarland. The staff at the house are considered as friends too and the thought of having to leave all this behind and venture into the unknown will be terrifying for the residents.

The standard of living and the standard of care and facilities at Alastrean House are second to none. The RAFBF should be extremely proud of the achievements and standards and should be doing all that they can to preserve and perpetuate them. It beggars belief that they appear to be prepared to destroy what is considered to be the very flag ship of the organisation which represents all that the RAFBF promote themselves as being "an extended family of the RAF".

News of the closure will send shockwaves through the residents and staff alike at Alastrean. At a time in their lives when they should be taking it easy and enjoying the good things in life they are having to once again fight. It is a real shame that they have been put in this position.

It is incredibly hard to know what anyone can do in order to persuade the RAFBF to do a U-turn on their decision. It would appear to be cast in stone and they do not appear to be prepared to budge. The residents have been interviewed by several newspapers in the past week and the television companies are starting to appear on the scene too, slowly but surely they are making themselves heard.

For the supporters of this site, and therefore of Alastrean House, we believe it is vital to keep Alastrean House open, not only for those whose home it is now, but for those who will call it home in the future. Alastrean offers the standard of care, environment and ethos which should be afforded to all those who can no longer sustain independent living in their own homes.

If there is any way that you feel you can lend your support and encouragement to the residents I am sure that they would appreciate it. Knowing that others are backing their cause is a great boost during this difficult time for them.