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Content Group: Company History And Ethos

A Community That Saved Me.

25th February 2020

By Matt Escott

A Community That Saved Me. “Without community, there is no liberation” – Audre Lorde I arrived in Hamelin having had a chaotic and dangerous five or so years in and out of psychiatric hospitals. My loving family needed me to be safe and start my own life as well as lead a full life themselves. … Continued

Testimonials

What the Community means to service users, relatives, external professionals and staff.

Our Ethos

Community life is… everybody knowing each other and working together, being there for one another, as opposed to just getting lost in society.
Father Benedict Ramsden
COMAE Founder

The Community is safely and effectively keeping these patients well.

Quote from External Professional in Priors Piece’s CQC inspection report May 2016.

Further Reading


Our Story

Simple Beginnings & The Community Today
Read More

About Us

In the Community we believe in the dignity of every human being, however vulnerable.
Read More

Our Story

Simple Beginnings & The Community Today

Our Origins

The Community began when Lilah and Benedict inspired in part by the 17th Century Little Gidding community began what was really a religious experiment in their own home. Almost at once people came and joined us and there soon began a process that was to lead to work with the seriously mentally ill. In 1973 when Benedict was ordained a Priest of the Russian Orthodox church and moved to serve a parish in Devon, the Community began to have a visible form with formal referrals. Father Benedict is very proud that modern descriptions of the Community refer to it as ‘entirely secular’ and that it has come to be recognised as a meaningful and very successful demonstration of what community care can make possible. We do not represent any alternative treatment of mental illness but rather a new setting in which conventional medical treatment can achieve vastly improved results. The original setting of our work in a family, a large one with lots of children is now replaced by a collection of households on various models such as for example a group of students living together and there is still an emphasis on domesticity and enjoyment which we think is of enormous importance.
Father Benedict Ramsden
Community Founder
All images © copyright Community of St Antony & St Elias.

They (the staff) always think of us in a good way, nothings too hard for them.

Quote from Community Resident in Maria Skobtsova House’s CQC inspection report April 2015.

The Community Today

The Community now has many houses in rural and urban settings, where people live and make their home, a large staff team dedicated to working alongside and supporting individuals as well as an administrative support team. The family has grown up but it is still very much involved in the life of the Community.

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Through the years the Community has grown and developed, but it has remained our consistent aim to preserve its sense of domesticity, sanctuary and belonging, enabling those living with us to find a place in the wider community.

Further Reading


About Us

In the Community we believe in the dignity of every human being, however vulnerable.
Read More

Testimonials

What the Community means to service users, relatives, external professionals and staff.
Read More

About Us

In the Community we believe in the dignity of every human being, however vulnerable.

Core Beliefs

We believe one of the real motivations in life is enjoyment. Fulfilment and happiness are the rights of everyone and the Community places a lot of emphasis on activity, from domestic, social, cultural and educational to even preparation for work, giving you the opportunity to contribute to whatever level you feel you can.
Father Benedict Ramsden
Community Founder
All images © copyright Community of St Antony & St Elias.

The service had a strong person centred culture which helped people to express their views and share their points of view.

Quote from CQC Inspector in 2 Seymour Terrace’s CQC inspection report January 2016.

Our Ethos

We are wary of religious descriptions of the Community but it should be said that what is so different about it originates in a theological understanding of people and a deep concern with the inherent dignity of every human being, however vulnerable.

We work with people coming from situations of legal or physical constraint. Our principle resource in this consists in restoring to them the ordinary dynamics of domestic life, self-support and human interaction. In this context the issues of relating to others as equals, the exercise of rights and choices and the recognition of responsibilities are fundamental.

The Community is not an alternative to other treatments, but offers a different setting in which conventional treatments can work.

We believe that one of the key motivations of human life is enjoyment. We thus put a great emphasis on our wide range of activities that are social, cultural and educational. This is enhanced by our Outdoor Activities programme, which seeks to provide adventure and fun as well as fostering physical health.

In a society which lays tremendous importance on employment, we seek to encourage preparation for work. Even where self support through employment will never be possible, it is vital that people have the opportunity to contribute. An example of this is our ten year relationship with the National Trust in work projects of lasting importance and of a high standard, in which those involved can take real pride.

Fulfilment and happiness are the rights of everyone. By providing a rich and varied life style in a supportive and caring environment, we aim to make this ideal a reality.

 

 

Further Reading


Testimonials

What the Community means to service users, relatives, external professionals and staff.
Read More

Our Story

Simple Beginnings & The Community Today
Read More

Get In Touch


For more information about The Community, our facilities or training programmes, get in touch today.

Contact Us

Email: enquiries@comae.org.uk.
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