The primary focus of Copelands is to provide a sense of safety and wellbeing for those that live there and for their families. Amenities the residents will benefit from and enjoy include a cinema-style screening room, a hair salon and spa experience, communal lounges and dining rooms, quiet spaces for reflection and reading, a craft room, landscaped grounds, an enclosed rear garden and a rooftop terrace making prime use of the million dollar views across the Irish Sea.
Andrea Selby is the manager of Copelands, and she says:
“We are beyond delighted that we have finally reached the stage where we can open our doors and welcome our first residents. Since mid-June we have been slowly introducing small numbers into each available wing to allow for settling in and a two-week isolation period.
“Our brand-new staff team has been working hard over the last number of months to ensure everyone was ready and able to hit the ground running. The combination of experience, enthusiasm and the beautiful new environment has meant the energy around the place is palpable and we are all so excited to be welcoming residents.”
Technology plays a key role in the effective management of a home the size of Copelands. With secure internal and external doors operated by key fobs and an iCare system installed to allow any alerts to be received by staff on handheld devices, it is a priority of the team to ensure all residents are comfortable and safe at all times.
Since the initial concept of providing residential retirement care was floated 15 years ago, the Copelands project has evolved to its current iteration. As with most things, the project was severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns with supply delays and the site being closed for a period in early 2020.
Nicky Conway, BCM’s Chief Executive, says:
“It has been a long road, but it has been a worthwhile journey to get where we are today with Copelands, and we are very proud of what we have achieved. What Copelands will provide in terms of care provision and a sense of community will be invaluable to those living and working there, but also to the neighbouring community, which has welcomed and embraced the project wholeheartedly.”
Copelands is a project of Belfast Central Mission which was founded in 1889 as a response to inner city social issues and now operates almost 20 social care and housing projects across Northern Ireland.
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