Castle Comfort Stairlifts
Encyclopedia
Castle Comfort Stairlifts is a North Staffordshire
based organisation serving the disability sector.
Lord Mayor
, the founder of the Lads and Dads football movement and himself a motor neurone disease
sufferer. The charity fund receives a percentage of the group’s audited profits and benefits from voluntary donations given by those using the group’s complimentary product loan service. Keith Simpson’s own retired GP, Doctor Neil Stirling - whose own wife Marguerite had died of motor neurone disease - accepted an offer to become Castle Comfort Centre’s public relation ambassador. Now, at the age of 83, Dr. Stirling is still based at the company's headquarters, and involved voluntarily, in day-to-day activities especially those related to links with the NHS, as well as running his own mobility-related website.
The fund initially provided funds for the Motor Neurone Research Association but later adopted a policy of funding mobility products for individuals where the need was urgent and grant provision was proving slow and difficult. Newcastle under Lyme based Terry Conroy
, former Republic of Ireland
and Stoke City footballer throughout the 1970s and 1980s, is the patron of the charity.
William Roache
, an actor of Coronation Street
fame, accepted an invitation in 2008, to oversee and officiate an annual large payout from the fund entitled The William Roache Award. Roache also presided over the recent Carer of the Year awards organised by Castle Comfort Centre, and won by Cynthia Hughes of Bucknall
. The fund's latest project is supporting Stephen Auker, a charity runner who raises money for Cancer Research UK
..
Since its inception, The Doug Brown Motor Neurone Fund has given away over £50,000 to good causes.
in Newcastle-under-Lyme
. It occupies Bank House, an historic building which was once a branch of the National Westminster Bank
and before that, Carrs Cafe, an establishment of some notoriety frequented by the owners of pottery factories in nearby Stoke-on-Trent
who resided in the village.
In 2007 a commemorative plaque was unveiled at Bank House by Inspector Steve Thirsk of Staffordshire
Police in memory of Doctor Henry Faulds
, the fingerprint
pioneer, who lived in Wolstanton village and is now buried at nearby St Margaret's churchyard. The plaque has become a focus of interest for fingerprint enthusiasts and has aroused much local interest.
North Staffordshire
North Staffordshire describes an area of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It contains the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire Moorlands and the City of Stoke-on-Trent. The Stoke and Newcastle areas make up The Potteries Urban Area, whilst the Moorlands are largely...
based organisation serving the disability sector.
Formation
Founded in 1997 by Keith Robert Simpson, the aim of the company was twofold: to provide orthopaedic chairs, adjustable beds, wheelchairs and stairlifts to elderly and disabled people, and to raise money for local causes. Simpson's concept for the business was born from an observation that the market was driven by national direct-sales companies charging high prices; his success at providing products at low profit or cost price to the local community is a tribute to his insight.Castle Comfort Clarion
The Clarion is a free newspaper published by Castle Comfort Stairlifts and distributed directly to the local population. It is published periodically with a circulation of around 250,000, and has an estimated 1 million readers.Charitable Works
The formation of Castle Comfort Stairlifts coincided with the launch of The Doug Brown Motor Neurone Fund named after the former Stoke-on-TrentStoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
, the founder of the Lads and Dads football movement and himself a motor neurone disease
Motor neurone disease
The motor neurone diseases are a group of neurological disorders that selectively affect motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body. They are generally progressive in nature, and can cause...
sufferer. The charity fund receives a percentage of the group’s audited profits and benefits from voluntary donations given by those using the group’s complimentary product loan service. Keith Simpson’s own retired GP, Doctor Neil Stirling - whose own wife Marguerite had died of motor neurone disease - accepted an offer to become Castle Comfort Centre’s public relation ambassador. Now, at the age of 83, Dr. Stirling is still based at the company's headquarters, and involved voluntarily, in day-to-day activities especially those related to links with the NHS, as well as running his own mobility-related website.
The fund initially provided funds for the Motor Neurone Research Association but later adopted a policy of funding mobility products for individuals where the need was urgent and grant provision was proving slow and difficult. Newcastle under Lyme based Terry Conroy
Terry Conroy
Terry Conroy is a former professional footballer, who spent most of his career with Stoke City.-Stoke City:He joined the Potters from the Irish club, Glentoran for £10,000 in March 1967. He went on to make 333 Cup and League appearances for Stoke, scoring 66 goals...
, former Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
and Stoke City footballer throughout the 1970s and 1980s, is the patron of the charity.
William Roache
William Roache
William Patrick Harry Roache MBE is a British actor, best known for his role as Ken Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street...
, an actor of Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
fame, accepted an invitation in 2008, to oversee and officiate an annual large payout from the fund entitled The William Roache Award. Roache also presided over the recent Carer of the Year awards organised by Castle Comfort Centre, and won by Cynthia Hughes of Bucknall
Bucknall
-Places named Bucknall:*Bucknall, Lincolnshire*Bucknall, Staffordshire, a suburb of Stoke-on-Trent-People named Bucknall:*Henry Bucknall , British rower.*Gerard Bucknall , British World War II general....
. The fund's latest project is supporting Stephen Auker, a charity runner who raises money for Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK is a cancer research and awareness charity in the United Kingdom, formed on 4 February 2002 by the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Its aim is to reduce the number of deaths from cancer. As the world's largest independent cancer...
..
Since its inception, The Doug Brown Motor Neurone Fund has given away over £50,000 to good causes.
Location
Castle Comfort Stairlifts is managed from its head office in the village of WolstantonWolstanton
Wolstanton is a suburban area on the outskirts of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.-History:Historically, Wolstanton was a place in its own right. It is mentioned in the Domesday book where it is listed amongst the lands belonging to the King. The land consisted of work for 2 ploughs, 14...
in Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a market town in Staffordshire, England, and is the principal town of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is part of The Potteries Urban Area and North Staffordshire. In the 2001 census the town had a population of 73,944...
. It occupies Bank House, an historic building which was once a branch of the National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank Plc, commonly known as NatWest, is the largest retail and commercial bank in the United Kingdom and has been part of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc since 2000. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is ranked as the second largest bank in the world by assets...
and before that, Carrs Cafe, an establishment of some notoriety frequented by the owners of pottery factories in nearby Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
who resided in the village.
In 2007 a commemorative plaque was unveiled at Bank House by Inspector Steve Thirsk of Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
Police in memory of Doctor Henry Faulds
Henry Faulds
Dr Henry Faulds was a Scottish scientist who is noted for the development of fingerprinting.-Early life:Faulds was born in the Scottish town of Beith, North Ayrshire into a family of modest means...
, the fingerprint
Fingerprint
A fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...
pioneer, who lived in Wolstanton village and is now buried at nearby St Margaret's churchyard. The plaque has become a focus of interest for fingerprint enthusiasts and has aroused much local interest.