|PIC1|The Church of Ireland has warmly received a bequest totalling millions of euro left to one of its leading elderly homes. The bequest comes at a time when the home is struggling to cover expenses.

Saint Luke’s Home for the Elderly in Cork, run by the Church of Ireland, received a gift of around 11 acres of land on the outskirts of Cork City from the late local farmer Mr Sidney Northridge. The land was sold at public auction last week for 27.5 million euro.

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Bishop Paul Colton, said: “We are immensely grateful for this magnificent bequest from Sidney Northridge, and on behalf of us all involved in this charity, I dedicate this moment to his memory with thanksgiving.

“No doubt many people will marvel at the huge commercial value of the land; of the sums realised at the auction, but we marvel at the generosity of a man who clearly admired and supported the vision of what Saint Luke’s Home does and has been doing for the elderly in Cork since 1872.”

|QUOTE|Bishop Colton added that the gift was “most welcome” at a time when the home is struggling to cover the enormous expenses incurred in relocating the home from the city of Cork to nearby Blackrock and in maintaining and developing the role model home for the elderly.

“What the bequest may enable us to do is to expand the work of the charity into new areas of activity, and the Board will have to look at that,” said Bishop Colton.

The bequest is also welcome in light of the ever-increasing demand for services for the elderly as demographics continue to change, people live longer and more individuals opt to stay in their own homes as long as possible.

Bishop Colton said: “Saint Luke’s Home is, of course, not only a diocesan project; it is an ecumenical one to which the people of Cork have given generous support over many years.

“For all of us it is quite simply an expression of the Christian Gospel in action, as we care for the sick and the elderly.”