Warm welcome promised for refugees

Calderstones Hospital has been on stand-by to house Albanians fleeing the trouble-torn Balkans since April after the NHS Executive contacted health managers at the Whalley-based site.

Calderstones, the only-remaining institution of its kind in the North-West, completed its programme of resettling patients into the community last month and the bulk of the buildings are now lying empty.

It has been put on refugee stand-by because it has the necessary heating and kitchen facilities.

Russ Pearce, chief executive of Calderstones NHS Trust, confirmed that representatives of the Refugee Council visited the site this week.

He said: "We have had a lot of interest in our facilities from the NHS and the Refugee Council. Their view is that our buildings are suitable. "Nothing formal has been decided, but it is looking more likely that refugees will be coming to Whalley.

"A meeting is taking place tonight between all the agencies involved and the East Lancashire Health Authority. After that we will know more.

"The situation is certainly gathering pace and, if refugees are to come here, I would expect it to be soon," he said.

Whalley councillor Joyce Holgate said the refugees would receive a warm welcome in the village.

But she asked for assurances that the cost of their stay would come from Government funds.

"I think the refugees will certainly come to Whalley and they will be welcome here. But the Government must pay for their stay and ideally they will eventually return safely to their homeland," she said.

Two homes for the elderly in Blackburn which were closed earlier this year have also been put on refugee stand-by.

Shadsworth House in Dunoon Drive and the former Laneside home, Shorrock Lane, are under consideration for use if the Government asks Blackburn with Darwen Council to house refugees.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.