A NEW 16-bed "men only'' unit at Woodside Home for the Elderly at Padiham will replace Whiteacres at Burnley which will finally close this month.

The Whiteacres shut down led to a storm of protest, petitions and marches when it was announced last year.

Lancashire County Council's social services committee chairman, Doreen Pollitt, was joined by four of the remaining Whiteacres residents when she had a special preview of the new unit.

A dozen residents will be moving from Whiteacres to Woodside taking some of the furniture from their present home. Woodside will remain a mixed home for the elderly with facilities for up to 34 residents.

The men who move into the men only unit have the choice of remaining within that unit or joining other residents for meals and activities.

The new wing has its own kitchen and two lounges and is part of an £80,000 refurbishment project. County Coun Miss Pollitt said: "I visited Whiteacres when we were consulting on the closures of some homes and met the residents.

"I am sure they will be very happy at Woodside and I am pleased we have been able to create a men only facility, one of only a handful in the country.''

Steve Williams, general manager of Lancashire County Care Services said Lancashire's homes for the elderly now had to compete on equal terms with the private sector.

He was determined to make them second to none and was sure the staff and residents at Woodside would benefit from the work carried out.

"Although we are closing Whiteacres its spirit will live on in the new unit. I am pleased to announced that we have managed the closure with no compulsory redundancies.

"All the staff who wished to carry on working within the service have been found posts, even staff who were on temporary contracts.''

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