Photo: Members of the First Battalion, Duke of Lancaster Regiment who helped renovate the old people's home.

The eight residents of an elderly care home in Phini village in Limassol’s mountainous areas have had their surroundings brightened up by a team of British bases soldiers who recently spent their spare time renovating the old house that is run by an NGO, and paid for the materials.

According to Yiannis Neophytou, who runs the Phini community website, the person who operates the home was acquainted with a Captain Tom Coole from Episkopi and asked in June if the soldiers could help out, so a group from the First Battalion, Duke of Lancaster Regiment obliged, he said.

“It required a lot of hard work,” Neophytou told the Sunday Mail. He said the two-storey building had balconies, stairs and courtyard patios, and the soldiers had both stripped down the old paint, varnished the wood and repainted in the interior and exterior.

“They did an amazing job, down to the smallest detail,” he said. “and covered all the expenses associated with paints and other materials used”.

The job took the team of some 15 men and women around five days to complete during June.

“It goes without saying that the maintenance of a nursing home is not an easy task,” said Neophytou. “The architecture of the building as well as the special facilities involved increased the complexity of the job and special care and diligence was required at every stage of the work.  Despite all the difficulties, the volunteers worked hard and enthusiastically.”

Neophytou said the whole village wanted to openly thank the soldiers for their spirit of volunteerism.

British bases soldiers had previously helped the care home, Neophytou said, when they donated a van around ten years ago and also took the elderly residents out on day trips.

The home opened in 2001 and is run on charity and donations. It’s eight residents hail from the village, which Neophytou said is ideal as they are still close to their homes and relatives but also being taken care of.

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Source: Cyprus Sunday Mail

By: Jean Christou