After almost three years of planning, preparation, negotation and a sincere and valued level of commitment from the whole staff team at Fairways, the Cloonavin Green Project was finally able to open its doors on Monday 9th January 2006.
Of the three years of anticipation, the last ten to twelve months were the most stressful yet the most exciting. Staff and service users alike were certainly beginning to feel the 'pinch' and some days we really did wonder if it was actually going to happen.
During the twelve-month 'run up', prospective tenants spent much time picking and choosing furniture, domestic appliances and soft furnishings. Whilst we had planned from the outset that each house would be occupied in turn, with the five-house move being complete in just over one month, co-ordination and team spirit was essential. Everyone noticed, then more than ever, a sincere 'gelling' between the tenants and the staff team. A sense of comradeship was becoming more and more apparent right up to and including the actual move. It seemed to be a self-fulfilling prophecy that the more enthusiastic the tenants were, the more this was reflected in the staff team and vice versa.
The first household moved in on 9th January and one household moved in every week thereafter until the final house moved in on 6th February. 'Dunluce' was now vacant and our Inspector from the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority called at the home to do her final visit and removed the Registration from 'Dunluce'.
Support from the Learning Disability Social Work Team, local day care & resource centres and the continued support of the entire Fairways team has been invaluable and for that we are most grateful.
Tony Dunlop
Fairways General Manager