RESIDENTS of elderly persons flats in Wellington have been carrying out festive fund-raising despite a threat which has hung over the future of their homes for months.

The Abbeyfield Society’s Ivy House development was threatened with closure by the charity earlier this year, which said it was no longer viable to operate.

The charity’s decision also affected the Old Vicarage, Wellington, for which Abbeyfield said it similarly was looking at disposal options.

However, the charity recently announced it was in talks with a prospective purchaser which wanted to keep both homes running.

Despite the turmoil facing them, Ivy House residents put a cheery face on the situation and decided to raise money for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, which has its headquarters in Wellington.

So, house manager Alisha Cordy organised a Christmas raffle and the residents raised a total of £230 which will be presented to the air ambulance charity.

Ms Cordy said it was an ‘amazing’ sum for them to have raised in the circumstances and said they were ‘wonderful residents’.

She said: “I would like to thank all the residents who have been extremely kind and generous with their donations.”