Comment

Victoria Cross winner Leonard Cheshire

A CHARITY set up by a war hero to provide homes for disabled people is this year celebrating the 60th anniversary of its founding.

Victoria Cross winner Leonard Cheshire was an RAF pilot during the Second World War and was based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse as the commanding officer of 76 Squadron which flew Halifax bombers.

As well as the Victoria Cross he was awarded the Order Of Merit, the Distinguished Service Order and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

In 1945, he was the official British observer when the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki which changed his perception of war forever.

In 1948, he set up Cheshire Homes after a terminally ill friend of his asked for help. He invited the man to live with him and other people heard about this and came to stay too. From this the charity was born and, eight years later, Alne Hall Cheshire Home, 12 miles north of York, was founded as a home for people with physical disabilities.

On May 10, Alne Hall will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the setting up of the Cheshire care homes with various events including a planned fly-past by a Lancaster bomber.

The celebrations, which take place in the grounds of Alne Hall, will be opened by the current station commander of RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Grp Capt Mark Hopkins at 1.30pm.

Easingwold Town Band will provide the music and there will be various stalls selling pictures and bric-a-brac plus a coconut shy and tombola.

RAF Linton staff will provide catering and will also bring an RAF ejector seat with them. Guests are invited to attend the event wearing 1940s-style fashions.

David Hopton, a former trustee of the Leonard Cheshire Foundation and a member of the Friends of Alne Hall, said there are now 80 Leonard Cheshire Homes in the country and 250 homes worldwide. He said volunteers are always needed both at the homes and in the organisation's charity shops.

He said: "It's very worthwhile to enhance the quality of life for disabled people and we hope lots of people come to the celebrations in the gardens at Alne Hall."