Bethesda / The Homes / Harpenden Home / Facilities Offered

Facilities Offered:

General:
The property was purpose-built in 1969.  It is mainly single-storey, and is set well back from the Luton Road.  The countryside, providing pleasant walks is not far away.  The entrance to the Home is in Roundwood Lane.  There is a bus stop very close to the Home, with regular buses to Harpenden town centre, St Albans, and Luton.  There are local shops within walking distance for the more able. The area is accessible, and it is possible to use an electric scooter from the Home into Harpenden town centre.  Busy roads are traffic light controlled.  The nearest Post Office is just under a mile away but letters can be posted in the Home and the ‘post-box’ is emptied daily.  The railway station is just over a mile from the Home with mainline services into London Kings Cross Thameslink, the fastest service taking only 26 minutes.  Trains then continue through London and on to Brighton. A trolley shop run by volunteers operates in the Home weekly (usually Thursday).

Levels:
All residents’ rooms and the communal rooms are on the ground floor.

Main entrance:
The main entrance to the Home consists of double doors with no step or threshold.  There are no other steps within the Home, and there is easy circulation through corridors, which are provided with handrails.

Residents’ accommodation:
There are nineteen single rooms in the Home and three double rooms, all of which have en-suite facilities with a WC and basin unit.   One of the double rooms, which is usually used for short stays, has a large bathroom en-suite suitable for wheelchair users. All the rooms have a pleasant outlook. The double rooms are for married couples only.

Room sizes are as follows: Rooms 1-6, 8-11, 13-18: 11.8 sq m;  Rooms 7 and 12 (double): 23.6 sq m;  Room 19: 14.6 sq m; Rooms 20-21: 10.9 sq m; Room 22 (double for short stays):  20.2 sq m plus large en-suite bathroom.
 
Communal areas:
Lounge:  There is a large lounge provided with easy chairs.  In the centre of the room is a table often displaying house plants, and with a lectern for the daily Bible readings.  

Library: There is a well stocked library off the main corridor. In the library is a grand piano gifted to the Home by one of our residents, Miss Mary Guest. Residents and visitors are encouraged to make use of this whenever they like.   
 
Dining room: Is provided with small tables seating groups of two to four residents. Outside the dining room is a patio with seating for the residents.

Residents’ kitchenette: A small kitchenette is available where residents and their visitors may make drinks or prepare refreshments. The kitchenette is equipped with a sink, a fridge, and a kettle with tipper to assist with pouring.

Bathrooms: Three bathrooms are provided, one of which has a shower installed suitable for wheelchair users. The bathrooms have hoists and other bathing aids, and a special bath is available for the less able. All bathrooms are equipped with nurse call systems so that help can be summoned if needed.  An additional bathroom is provided en-suite to room 22.

Gardens:
The gardens are attractively laid out with smooth paved paths and attractive handrails along the downward sloping paths. Pleasant flower borders, and shrubs and roses are carefully tended by the home’s gardener, Jempsons Landscaping. There are two patios located in quiet parts of the garden where people can sit outside and enjoy the fresh air. People living in the Home are encouraged to help with the gardening if they wish.  



Car parking:
The Home has a large car park and there is normally adequate parking for visitors.  If the car park is full, unrestricted parking is available in the surrounding streets.

                                                                                                                                                                    


Minibus:
The Home has a 13-seater Renault minibus with a tail lift and facilities for accommodating wheelchairs.                                                      

Chapel services:
The Home’s minibus is available to transport residents to the services at Bethel Chapel, Chapel Street, Luton or Ebenezer Chapel, Hastings Street, Luton.  The services from Bethel Chapel are relayed into the Home.

Other:
The Bethesda General Office and Gospel Standard Trust Publications bookroom are situated within the grounds of the Home.