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Couple's Compassion For Kikambala Spreads To Inglewood

A CHARITABLE couple’s kindness has sparked a friendship between an Eastbourne nursing home and an African village.

Nick and Rene Eldridge, of Freemans Avenue, Hampden Park, have returned from Kikambala in Kenya with photos of a wheelchair donated by Inglewood Nursing Home being used by 15-year-old girl called Rosie, who was left disabled by polio.

Mr and Mrs Eldridge have funded a fishing boat for the village and fitted a house with electricity since first visiting the village in 2001.

When residents and staff at Inglewood Nursing Home in Nevill Avenue, Hampden Park, where Mr Eldridge had worked as an electrician, read of their kindness in the Eastbourne Herald, they were so moved by their efforts that they asked to set up a pen-friend scheme and help with donations.

Inglewood has since donated the entire funds of their Christmas raffle towards a clean water supply for the villagers. Inglewood Manager Karen Howell said: “We feel strongly about what Nick and Rene are doing out of the goodness of their hearts. Our raffle needed to raise £200 for the water supply and we raised £201. Staff and residents are very keen to donate, but more than that, we want to create links between the Eldridge’s home town and their adopted village by exchanging letters between Inglewood residents and the families of Kikambala.”

Inglewood Nursing Home is part of Canford Healthcare, which includes Pentlow Nursing Home in Summerdown Road, Old Town, and Pentlow Community Care in High Street, Old Town. Canford in Eastbourne includes a  Meal Delivery Service and Training Division.