A care home for Greater Manchester’s military veterans has welcomed its residents back after a £12.5 million redevelopment.
Broughton House in Salford has cared for more than 8,000 veterans since it opened to the ex-service community over 100 years ago back in 1916, but the original home was demolished in 2020 to make way for the site to be transformed into the UK’s first-ever veteran care village.
And that impressive £12.5 million project has now officially been completed.
Following the demolition of the original home, the Broughton House site has now been transformed into a modern complex that features a 64-bed care home and six retirement apartments, with photos of the impressive revamp shared online.
Not only that, but the Stoller Wing of the newly-built care home – which has been named in honour of north west businessman and philanthropist Sir Norman Stoller, who donated £4 million to the project – also has a wide array of new facilities, including a gym, a hairdressing and barber’s salon, and a restaurant and bar for the residents.
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The new wing is said to pay homage to Broughton House’s rich history.
Broughton House has cared for more than 8,000 veterans since opening back in 1916 / Credit: Broughton HouseThe Stoller Wing also has a museum that’s filled with memorabilia / Credit: Broughton House (via Lee Boswell Photography)
Within the new Stoller Wing, there is also a dedicated museum that’s filled with fascinating stories of former residents, rare war medals, and historic memorabilia, which is all designed to “keep the memories of the fallen well and truly alive”.
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Refurbishments have also happened in the Jellicoe Wing – which is named after WWI hero Viscount Sir John Jellicoe, who opened the original Broughton House building – and it now has two 16-bedroom households.
The wing also houses our Armed Forces Support Hub, and the six retirement apartments.
Broughton House says the Armed Forces Support Hub focuses on providing welfare support and counselling for ex-service people of all ages living in the local community, as many veterans see their mental health deteriorate during their transition back to civilian life.
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The care village has now welcomed its residents back after the £12.5 million redevelopment / Credit: Broughton HouseThe site has now been transformed into the UK’s first-ever veteran care village / Credit: Broughton House (via Lee Boswell Photography)
Derrick Corfield – a WWII veteran and Broughton House resident – said: “The new care village is ideal for people like myself who have been living alone, as it puts us back into that bigger family again [and] it’s a place that celebrates our history, and understands the things we have done in our lives and been a part of.
“I’m really enjoying the activities, especially the history club, so it will be nice to welcome more veterans to the new care village.”
Broughton House says the new complex has been designed with the purpose of “offering trailblazing provision” for the north west’s ageing armed forces community.
Chief executive Karen Miller said the new amenities provide residents with greater opportunities to be more active and sociable than what many other traditional care homes offer, and helps them to “reignite the camaraderie” they became accustomed to during their time in the armed forces.
“It is immensely pleasing to reach the milestone of seeing our new Veteran Care Village completed,” Karen concluded.
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Emily Sergeant -
4th May 2022 
