A £12m community care project near Abergavenny is nearing completion creating 120 new jobs.
Dormy Care Communities is due to open its first luxury care community – Foxhunters - in Iberis Road, Llanfoist, opposite the Westgate development later this year on 19 November.
Monmouth MP David Davies was given a tour of the site and met with those involved in delivering the project including: Dormy Care founder Helen Maiello; Dormy Care chairman Mike Parsons; Marie Wood, home director; Nigel Hanney from Cardiff construction firm Carter Lauren; Foxhunter project manager Magnus Petts of Cardiff-based Chessmann Consulting; and Newwave Design Ltd director Stephen Thomas.
Mr Davies says he was impressed by what he saw.
“This is great news for Abergavenny with the number of jobs created and the positive impact this investment will have on the local economy," he said.
“It was great to meet Helen and those involved and have a tour of the site and see their impressive plans taking shape. From what I’ve seen so far it’s going to be a huge success.”
As well as providing a mix of residential, nursing and dementia care, Foxhunters features some impressive facilities for residents including a cinema, bar, coffee shop, gym and hairdressing salon. Foxhunters will also have its very own chef providing a fine dining menu for residents using locally sourced produce.
Demand is high for the 70 luxury ensuite rooms and more than 300 people have applied for the nursing, ancillary and administrative roles available.
Foxhunters residents will be encouraged to live active lifestyles and they, along with visiting families, are expected to provide a welcome boost for the local economy. Dormy Care even provide a free chauffeur service enabling residents to make trips to the surrounding area, enhancing their quality of life and increasing the impact they make locally.
Another important focus for Dormy Care is to implement the Welsh Government’s new action plan to ensure people with dementia can live as independently as possible in their communities. Their staff have met with local groups such as the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends programme to work towards creating a dementia friendly Abergavenny.
Dormy Care has largely used Welsh businesses to deliver the project. Two Cardiff-based companies, construction firm Carter Lauren and Chessmann Consulting, have been used to bring the building work to completion and Abergavenny-based Newwave Design Ltd have created the Dormy Care brand and designed other related promotional materials.
The home will also be supplied with environmentally friendly and innovative cleaning products, which reduces the use of chemicals using Stabilised Aqueous Ozone (SAO), from Chepstow-based company Purozo.
Dormy Care founder Helen Maiello said: "We were really pleased that Mr Davies wanted to come to see us. We appreciate how busy he is, so we are grateful to him for taking the time to visit Foxhunters and we hope he’s been impressed by what he’s seen.
“Dormy Care is thrilled to be opening our flagship home in Abergavenny. We want it to be a home from home where people can start a new chapter in their life where they can remain engaged with the local community.
“We’ve built this home for the future with the technology that’s needed to be able to provide fantastic care and getting the right people in at the right time to be able to deliver that.
“Foxhunters is one of the only care communities currently being set up in Wales at the moment. We have been inundated with people interested in residency and working here. So much so that we could staff the building three times over.
"This level of interest highlights the need for such luxury, quality, provision, especially in Monmouthshire and we are excited to be playing our part in providing that.”
The information suite at Foxhunters opens on Monday 20 August. People can also get more details about Foxhunters from the Dormy Care shop in 47 Cross Street, Abergavenny, from their website www.dormycare.co.uk or by calling 01873 564830.