West View Care Home is 50!

Purchased on 24 June 1976 by Reverend David and Mrs Vee Atkinson, West View Care Home celebrated 50 years of family ownership of a “home from home” for generations of elderly on the Bere Peninsula with a Jubilee Garden Party.

Trevor and Jenny continue to own West View and be actively involved in its future. “We can’t begin to count the hundreds of people who have connected with West View in the last 50 years as residents, relatives, friends and members of the staff team,” said Trevor. “It has been an honour to care for so many people and to provide employment for many more”.

West View hasn’t just rested on its laurels and good reputation but, only last year, it achieved an award as a “Butterfly” home rated “Excellent” by Meaningful Care Matters.

Peter Bewart (Managing Director at MCM) states: “The journey has been incredible. From what we would call a ‘traditional’ care home, West View has come alive and now has a genuine feeling of family, togetherness, love and purpose for the people living there.”

The National Dementia Care Accreditation Scheme also awarded West View the Platinum award in 2025 at the highest level possible, scoring 95/100. Devon County Council’s service improvements team are so impressed that they plan to use West View as a role model for training for other homes.

Diane, Registered Manager, is responsible for driving the transition to the Butterly approach. She says: “We believed in the whole process from the outset and the staff embraced it – showing so much patience and kindness. They treat the residents like family, enjoying life together with lots of laughter and fun. When you step into the home now you can really sense the buzz of the place, and the level of care is both phenomenal and heartwarming.”

Trevor adds: “Under Diane’s leadership we have provided two houses within the home - Wren and Robin to differentiate areas where people live more comfortably in smaller family like environments. Each house has its own kitchen and living areas where residents and staff cohabit engaging in life fulfilling, meaningful activities, (even the mundane like peeling veg). This gives a sense of purpose and community spirit and is a vehicle for a lot of interaction”.

The care staff are called ‘homemakers’ who act like a younger supportive family member showing immense patience and love for the people who live there. They wear their own clothes, prepare meals and eat with residents, get involved in activities and one to one engagement, flitting between residents to make sure no one is forgotten or left without something meaningful to engage in. This constant awareness and individual attention are where the term “butterfly” comes from.

The care home has plans to enhance the lives of residents and are confident that West View will remain as a valuable resource for the community in the future.

Enquiries are welcomed, and more about life at West View can be found on our website.