John* was in his 50s and had been at Maple Lodge for about 20 years when he was struck ill and taken to hospital.

Staff continued to support him and wanted him back but when it became clear he was going to be wheelchair bound he was forced to leave Maple Lodge.

He couldn’t walk and his room was on the top floor so he went to a nursing home where he was looked after capably but his life changed dramatically.

He was with much older people, some with dementia. He lost his social network of friends and stopped going to the Fircroft day centre.

He lost his daily routine and lost touch with some of the people that he had lived with for 20 years.

Fircroft manager Richard Weir said: "He was never able to come back, apart from a couple of visits, and he died shortly after.

"We were devastated to lose him because he was a great guy and a lovely man and very popular.

"If we had our new building he would have been able to return."

The Building Potential appeal will stop residents like John being separated from his friends.

* name changed.