A COUPLE’S dream of opening a state-of-the art adult care centre in memory of their daughter has moved a step closer, thanks to an influx of local support.

Rachael and Ian Scott-Hunter, from Bicester, have now raised £90,000 towards their £2.5 million target, to open Alexandra’s House of Joy.

They have also had to double the amount of storage space they hire, in order to house a new mountain of donations from well-wishers which will be sold at various events.

Their daughter, Alexandra, who had very complex needs, died in March 2019, at the age of 47.

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She had suffered a brain haemorrhage when she was just four days old and grew up with profound and severe learning disabilities.

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The parents took on the mammoth task of raising the money needed for Alexandra’s House of Joy after seeing their daughter’s care provision erode over the years, culminating in the closure of the Day Time Support Centre she relied upon.

Mrs Scott-Hunter said: “Our life revolved around Alexandra for 47 years. She was a laughing, sunny girl, and, of course we loved her dearly. Losing her was terrible, and it has left us a little bit lost.

“It has been hard to maintain the energy to continue, but the extra support we have received from people who want to see Alexandra’s House of Joy become a reality, has been overwhelming.”

The centre will be built on land south of Seelscheid Way between the A41 and Wretchwick Way in Bicester and plans submitted to Cherwell District Council in June last year include six bedrooms for respite stay, and end of life palliative care, for adults with learning difficulties age 35 and upwards.

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There will also be a day centre for adults aged 19 years and upwards that would include a music room, sensory room, computer room, arts and crafts, outdoor space, and a hydrotherapy pool.

Mr and Mrs Scott-Hunter have received so many donations that they have increased the amount of space they rent at Bicester’s Storage Giant site, to house the goods.

“People give us books, items for car boot sales, vintage and collectible things, and craft goods, so we have had to almost double the amount of space we rent to house it from Storage Giant, in Bicester – in fact, Nigel at Storage Giant came to us the other day and gave us a new toaster for our collection.”

Simon Williams, CEO of Storage Giant, said: “It is always a pleasure to see valuable community-based charities and groups like this one thrive.

"We are happy to be a part of the story of Alexandra’s House of Joy and we very much look forward to seeing it come to fruition here in Bicester.”

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Problems have been raised about the site's proximity to a medieval settlement, providing the first planning hurdle for the charity, which is archaeological digs to ensure building is fine to go ahead.

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There are still some parts of the plan that need to be resolved, such as transport and flooding, before a decision is made by the council as to whether the care centre will be approved.

The parents have run stalls at community events such as the Bicester Big Lunch and craft fairs, as well as held bingo nights and culture nights all to raise money for the building.

Mrs Scott-Hunter continued: “We cannot overstate the importance of local support. We have a team of volunteers helping us with our events, website and social media.

“A Bicester farmer has donated an acre of land for us to build the centre. It is very touching. It is very much a community effort, to create a facility that will be for the good of the community.”

She added: “We still have some way to go to make Alexandra’s House of Joy a reality, but the support we receive locally, and the knowledge that we are doing something so important, in the memory of Alexandra, who we loved so much, keeps us going.”

Alexandra's House of Joy is one of the mayor's chosen charities.

For more details about the project, go to www.alexandrahouseofjoy.co.uk.

If you would like to donate, go to uk.virginmoneygiving.com.