Hotel for disabled in St Ouen celebrates 50th anniversary

Gerald and Margaret Roscouet (both 83) have been visiting Maison des Landes at the top of L’Etacq Hill for the past 15 years. Mrs Roscouet, a former care worker at Mont à l’Abbé, suffered a stroke in 2001.

The couple, who live in St Brelade, said that the friendly staff and excellent food helped them enjoy holidays they feared they might never have again.

Every room at the hotel is designed to cater for all disabilities. Since Maison des Landes was taken over by the Lions Club of Jersey in 1967, thousands of guests, both locals and tourists from Britain, mainland Europe and even Canada, have stayed there.

In 1966 James Bond actor Sean Connery was the guest of honour at an event at West Park Pavilion that raised £12,000 for the new hotel, which had previously been run as a guest house for the disabled by Elizabeth Ashton Edwards and her husband, Henry.

Asked about the future of the hotel, Chris Clarke, president of the board of trustees for the Lions Club of Jersey, said that times had been tougher in recent years.

The hotel is open between April and October and caters for up to 45 guests.

Each year a quarter of the funds raised at the Swimarathon go to providing locals with free stays at Maison des Landes.

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