New care home named in memory of community champ Sid Bailey

The late Sid Bailey, who picked up an MBE in 1997 for his extensive public service, was a voluntary member of the fire service at Brampton-Bierlow Fire Station.

The fire station later burned down after it was vacated and became derelict but is now the location of a shiny new care home, which has been officially launched as the Sid Bailey Care Home.

After the pits closed, Sid went on to serve Brampton by organising bike rides for youngsters, becoming trustee of his local working men’s club and being  heavily involved with both the Ellis Trust and Brampton Trust, which carried out fundraising.

He was a school governor at Wath Comprehensive and Brampton Cortonwood Primary, rose to the rank of commissioner in St John Ambulance and served on the parish council.

A spokesperson said the new home was named after Sid, who died in 2020, “to honour his life, and because he shared so many of (home operator) Danforth’s values on caring for the community”.

Sid’s son and daughter, Brendan Bailey and Adele Riles did the honours at the official opening of the 66-bed home, which has solar panels for electricity generation and ground source heat technology.

MP John Healey, who also attended the opening, said: “I’ve been following the progress of the building works after the plans for the care home were approved last year.

“It’s great to see that work is now complete and that a former derelict site has been brought back into use.

“The new care home is a welcome addition to the area and it’s good to see it’s creating local jobs in and around Brampton.”