This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-22991741
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Fisher House: Troops' family home officially opened | Fisher House: Troops' family home officially opened |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A building for the families of injured forces personnel has been officially opened by the Prince of Wales. | A building for the families of injured forces personnel has been officially opened by the Prince of Wales. |
| Fisher House cost £4.2m and is within walking distance of the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in Birmingham where injured soldiers are treated. | Fisher House cost £4.2m and is within walking distance of the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in Birmingham where injured soldiers are treated. |
| The property has 18 en-suite rooms and families stay for free while relatives receive medical treatment. | The property has 18 en-suite rooms and families stay for free while relatives receive medical treatment. |
| Charities including Help for Heroes and the US-based Fisher House Foundation helped fund the project. | Charities including Help for Heroes and the US-based Fisher House Foundation helped fund the project. |
| Relatives of the injured began using the building in the grounds of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in March. | Relatives of the injured began using the building in the grounds of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in March. |
| About 100 people, including some from Help the Heroes, members of staff and patients were there for the official opening. | |
| Mike Hammond, charity chief executive at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital said he believed having the building on site helped to provided emotional support. | |
| The patients worry about the welfare of their families so having them down the road gives them peace of mind, he said. | |
| "Having Prince Charles open the building is the pinnacle of the project and a reflection of how important the patients and their families are," he said. | |
| 'In a bubble' | 'In a bubble' |
| Elaine Mercer, whose son is currently receiving care, believes being able to stay a 10-minute walk away from him had helped her "enormously". | |
| She said: "It's a safe haven. All the worry that goes with having somebody who's been injured was taken away. | |
| "The staff took over, they explained everything that was going to happen next and they put us in a bubble. They look after us. | "The staff took over, they explained everything that was going to happen next and they put us in a bubble. They look after us. |
| "We don't have to think about anything else apart from our loved ones who are in hospital. | "We don't have to think about anything else apart from our loved ones who are in hospital. |
| "When I first arrived there were quite a few families here. | "When I first arrived there were quite a few families here. |
| "They knew how I felt and they just sat and let me talk and talk and talk." | "They knew how I felt and they just sat and let me talk and talk and talk." |
| Residents retain their independence and have access to a range of facilities enabling them to cook and clean and carry out other day-to-day activities. | Residents retain their independence and have access to a range of facilities enabling them to cook and clean and carry out other day-to-day activities. |
| The home's manager Patrick Hogan said his job was a rewarding one. | The home's manager Patrick Hogan said his job was a rewarding one. |
| "We do have the most distressed relatives but... the coping skills they possess are unbelievable," Mr Hogan said. | |
| "It's a very humbling experience to work with the families who are here. | "It's a very humbling experience to work with the families who are here. |
| "It's an aid for the patient and it's also an aid for the parents, wives, siblings, whoever, to be that close." | "It's an aid for the patient and it's also an aid for the parents, wives, siblings, whoever, to be that close." |