Happy Birthday, Bethwin Road!
‘We were on a mission’ – Mossie Lyons remembers the first days on the top floor of what grew into our pioneering residential rehab
I’m thinking back to 19 October 1997, 25 years ago… An old Anglican vicarage on Bethwin Road in Camberwell. We moved three men from Stonhouse Street into the top floor (the lower floors were still squatted). Kairos was in its infancy but we knew we were part of something exciting and new. It was simple and basic, we were innocent, enthusiastic and not only inspired by Fr John but full of a sense of togetherness, community around one another; Sally Martin, Karen Brooks, Jim Finn, Sandra Ginnelly and me. A unique adventure, we were at the cutting edge in playing our part to address homelessness and addiction. What a mission!
Over the years, through the introduction of processes, structures, programmes, building teams through refurbishment, in working with three health/social care inspectorates with constant upgrading and fine tuning, coping and adjusting to Covid – behold Bethwin Road, the care home it is today!