IT'S the dawning of a new era for Crewe's Emmie Dixon Home.

The home, which provides residential care for adults with Cerebral Palsy and other disabilities has previously been operated by registered charity, Crewe and District Spastics Society.

But because of increasing legislation and safeguards governing the operation of residential care homes the organisation decided to set up a company to continue its work into the future, which effectively meant winding up the former charity.

Now Emmie Dixon Home Ltd, MD John Mayman explains:

"Because the Emmie Dixon Home is a small care home with fixed overhead costs and a staffing level determined by national care standards, it has always been susceptible to changes in occupancy levels," he said.

"The effect of a vacancy at the home even for a short period has a noticeable effect on the budget.

"The trustees who were responsible for that charity had continually found that due to this unpredictability the home's budget was very difficult to control.

"With this in mind, five years ago, the society reviewed the operation and agreed a plan of action, including a conversion of the first floor to living accommodation to improve viability, together with a change of status to afford some protection to the trustees who until that time had carried the responsibility for an annual turnover of £150,000.

"I am delighted to say that the home is fully occupied and will continue to provide the same very high standard of care, which we consider second to none."