British Legion under fire as care home is marketed for sale

THE Royal British Legion (RBL) has come under fire once again following the publication of advertisements for the controversial sale of their Crosfield House care home in Rhayader.

While residents and their relatives, staff and local politicians were promised that the home would be sold as a going concern to a like minded organisation and would definitely not be closing, the advertisement appears to contradict these assurances. The advertisement placed by specialist Estate Agency, Pinders offers the home as a fully operational, trading care home, or as a site with potential for development, subject to planning permission.

The RBL sent an update on the sale to residents, their relatives and staff in December, which states: “In the New Year Pinders will be running an advertising campaign in local and regional newspapers and sending a mail-shot to promote Crosfield to 50 Welsh and selected England based care home operators.” No mention is made of marketing the site for development.

Cllr Kelvyn Curry was stunned by the advertisement. “It seems that the RBL have no morality,” said Cllr Curry.

“They seem to have no concern for the residents of Crosfield House or the wider community. I have been in touch with Roger Williams MP, Powys County Council’s head of social services and other interested parties to seek an urgent meeting to resolve this issue. I have also asked Rhayader town clerk, Carl Baker to put the matter on the agenda for Rhayader town council’s January meeting as a matter of urgency. While the RBL have every right to sell their land for development, it is insensitive of them not to focus entirely on selling Crosfield as a going concern.”
 
Marc Woods, whose 83 year old grandmother, Alice, has been a resident for over 10 years, said: “The RBL are supposed to be a caring organisation but it seems the only people they really care about are their own accountants.

“My grandmother receives a very high level of care at Crosfield and most importantly receives regular visits from her immediate family, with many relatives living in Rhayader.

“The constant threat of closure is distressing for all of the residents, their families and the wonderful carers.”

There are currently 55 residents at Crosfield and the RBL is the largest employer in Rhayader with some 90 staff members.