Heather’s disabled, blind, mother went in to Beaumaris Care Home, Newport
in January 2011.
Margaret with her great-granddaughter,
Poppy, necklace clearly visible
In August 2013 after she had been there over two and half years Heather was
asked to sign a contract, being told it was just a formality that had been
overlooked. Heather naturally signed this without studying it. The terms of the
contract were not explained nor was Heather given a copy. After all it was ‘just
a formality’ and by this time her mother was far too frail to consider that she
move to another home.
At a visit at the start of January 2014 Heather immediately saw that her mother
was not wearing her gold necklace bought by her husband over 40 years
before. Margaret had never ever taken it off in all the years since she was
given it. She slept, bathed, showered, everything with it on, so naturally she
wore it in the care home. As it was quite smug around her neck it did not cause
any problems at all when dressing or undressing. The care home staff were all
well aware of its significance and never removed it during her 3 year stay until it
was taken. It had developed even more significance after her husband of over
60 years passed away in 2010 as it was her link to him. Being blind she could
not look at photos to recall their many happy times, but she could always touch
the necklace.
Heather immediately spoke to the senior member of staff on duty, who told
her not to worry as someone had probably taken it off and put it in the safe.
However there was no-one there who had access to the safe.
Unfortunately it was 2 weeks before there was anyone who could open the
safe despite Heather asking almost daily. When they realised it was not
there, the staff then searched Margaret’s room, stripped her bed and so on
but it was not to be found.
When the home manager accepted it was missing she asked Heather to obtain a valuation that they could submit to
their insurers. Heather promptly did this and took it into the home. Until Margaret passed away in early March Heather
visited the home practically every day, and on many occasions asked about the necklace, but was constantly fobbed
off.
After her mother died the contact was mainly by telephone. Despite very many attempts to reach out to them was no
response from the home.