Cheshire Homes India, Bangalore Unit

The Cheshire Homes started in London around 1956 by Group Captain Lord Leonard Cheshire, V.C., O.M., D.S.O., D.F.C. of the R.A.F, after he retired. He served in India and was very fond of the Country, and decided to open some of the Homes there. In 1961, the Bangalore Cheshire Home started in a small rented cottage on Rustam Bagh Estate, (located very near the Bangalore City Airport, on the H.A.L. Road) with one resident, a young girl named Ivy Paul, who was completely bedridden with arthritis. From this small beginning the Home has expanded over a period of 25 years to the stage where they now have:

• The Residential Home for 45 physically handicapped women and girls ages from 4 to 84 in their beautiful buildings situated on the one acre of land donated by Dr. & Mrs. Z.R. Kothavala. One wing of the Home was built as a memorial to Group Captain S. Das, Chief Test Pilot of H.A.L. who was killed in a flying accident in 1970, his wife Veronica Das, an English lady, is the Director who runs the Home.
• The Rehabilitation Centre started in 1985 which aims to train physically handicapped men and women from the surrounding area to become earning members of the family and thus take a normal place in Society.
• The School for children of the Home, where they can study upto the S.S.L.C. level (High School) as well as acquire skills in various handicrafts.
• The Shop for the sale of handicrafts made by our residents and students.
• The Home for the Ages in Whitefield where 15 elderly ladies live peacefully in a cottage donated by James McGucken, a Scottish planter.

All this progress has only been possible due to the sustained hard work, commitment and enthusiasm of members of the various committees over the years. It should be emphasized that although the Cheshire Homes Movements worldwide and its founder British, funds for the Bangalore Home are raised entirely by the people of Bangalore. For instance, a most generous donation by the late Dr. Yusuf Sait, who died in an accident in Canada, enabled them to start building the Rehabilitation Centre. The first week of December every year is kept aside by many charitable organisations that have a fund raising sale under the "United Charities Bazaar" sponsored by the International Women's Group and conducted at the Bowring Institute. The year 1986 is an improtant one for the Cheshire Home in Bangalore, it was their Silver Jubilee. It is their intention to make maximum efforts to regain their financial stability: the building and setting up of their Rehabilitation Centre was a severe drain on their resources. They are open to your help, and request that you tell your friends about the institution, and patronise their fund-raising activities and functions, and donate generously to this very worthy cause. A visit to their Home will assure you that the children are well looked after and are very happy. There are smiles all around and the little cheerful faces need to be seen to assure you that their handicaps are in no way a priority of their joy. I did visit the Cheshire Home on Tuesday, 22nd October, 1996, and found this a very enjoyable experience. Should anyone of you like to help , can make enquires to The General Secretary, Cheshire Homes India Bangalore Unit, H.A.L. Road, Bangalore 560 017, Phone: 080 5266970.

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Thought for the Day:" Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, Fon in the manner their fathers did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did they fathers to the false prophets." Holy Bible: Luke 6:20-26