Save Woodcot in Salcombe. Ask AGE UK, who got it for free, to pass it on.
Save Woodcot in Salcombe. Ask AGE UK, who got it for free, to pass it on.
The Issue
SAVE WOODCOT FROM AGE
Everyone who knows and loves Salcombe - knows Woodcot.
It's the beautiful Grade Two * Regency villa set in acres of lush gardens and woodland, the one with the stone bridge over Cliff Road…It's now in the hands of AGE UK. Who want to sell it - most likely to developers.
The house that was GIVEN to them completely FREE OF CHARGE, ON CONDITION that it was kept as a residential home for the elderly.
Everyone who knows and loves Salcombe will be affected by AGE UK’s decision to sell Woodcot:-
- Everyone who ever attended an Open Garden event;
- Everyone who enjoyed a Shakespeare play on the lawn;
- Everyone who attended a fund-raiser for one of the many local charities that use Woodcot to host their event.
- Everyone has had a loved one who lived there
- Anyone who knew Miss Elizabeth Jennings and cares about her legacy.
It was not given to AGE UK to improve their profit margins, or to sell it for their own purposes. It was given ON CONDITION that Woodcot be used, in perpetuity as a residential home for elderly people. Especially for those people who had a connection to Salcombe.
Of course the people who have the most to lose are the people who still live there. The few remaining residents - all of whom are in their 80’s, all of whom have lived there for over twenty years, in what they thought was their forever home. Now they are having the carpet pulled out from underneath them. They are understandably devastated at the prospect of being made homeless in their 80’s.
AGE UK claim that Woodcot isn’t financially viable - but the truth is that they have run Woodcot down for the past decade. The haven't re-let flats when they became available even though there are people queuing up to get in there.
On 18th November 1969 Miss Elizabeth Jennings, from one of Salcombe's greatest philanthropic families. Gave Woodcot the house in which she lived, to the Trustees of the Plymouth Guild of Social Service Charity ON CONDITION that the property, divided into 14 flats would, in perpetuity, continue to be exclusively used as a residential home for old people.
Fast forward to 2025. Woodcot is now in the hands of AGE UK.
AGE UK are in the legacy business. Charities like them routinely ask people to leave them things in their will. Miss Jennings left Woodcot. ON CONDITION that it be used as specified.
Do you think she would have left Woodcot if she thought it was going to be sold for development?
Having failed to get planning to build ‘discreet’ building in the grounds, AGE UK have decided that because they can't monetise Woodcot, they are going to sell it to someone who can… most likely a developer. In breach of the covenant.
Salcombe will be the loser. Don't let this happen.
AGE UK didn't pay a penny for Woodcot. It was given to them and if they can't make a go it - the moral thing for a charity to do is to pass it on to a new charity in the spirit in which they themselves got it - not sell it for profit.
PLEASE. Sign this petition. Ask AGE UK to pass Woodcot on to another charity in the spirit in which they got it themselves. Completely Free.
PLEASE. Donate in support of this campaign :
THANKYOU
3,940
The Issue
SAVE WOODCOT FROM AGE
Everyone who knows and loves Salcombe - knows Woodcot.
It's the beautiful Grade Two * Regency villa set in acres of lush gardens and woodland, the one with the stone bridge over Cliff Road…It's now in the hands of AGE UK. Who want to sell it - most likely to developers.
The house that was GIVEN to them completely FREE OF CHARGE, ON CONDITION that it was kept as a residential home for the elderly.
Everyone who knows and loves Salcombe will be affected by AGE UK’s decision to sell Woodcot:-
- Everyone who ever attended an Open Garden event;
- Everyone who enjoyed a Shakespeare play on the lawn;
- Everyone who attended a fund-raiser for one of the many local charities that use Woodcot to host their event.
- Everyone has had a loved one who lived there
- Anyone who knew Miss Elizabeth Jennings and cares about her legacy.
It was not given to AGE UK to improve their profit margins, or to sell it for their own purposes. It was given ON CONDITION that Woodcot be used, in perpetuity as a residential home for elderly people. Especially for those people who had a connection to Salcombe.
Of course the people who have the most to lose are the people who still live there. The few remaining residents - all of whom are in their 80’s, all of whom have lived there for over twenty years, in what they thought was their forever home. Now they are having the carpet pulled out from underneath them. They are understandably devastated at the prospect of being made homeless in their 80’s.
AGE UK claim that Woodcot isn’t financially viable - but the truth is that they have run Woodcot down for the past decade. The haven't re-let flats when they became available even though there are people queuing up to get in there.
On 18th November 1969 Miss Elizabeth Jennings, from one of Salcombe's greatest philanthropic families. Gave Woodcot the house in which she lived, to the Trustees of the Plymouth Guild of Social Service Charity ON CONDITION that the property, divided into 14 flats would, in perpetuity, continue to be exclusively used as a residential home for old people.
Fast forward to 2025. Woodcot is now in the hands of AGE UK.
AGE UK are in the legacy business. Charities like them routinely ask people to leave them things in their will. Miss Jennings left Woodcot. ON CONDITION that it be used as specified.
Do you think she would have left Woodcot if she thought it was going to be sold for development?
Having failed to get planning to build ‘discreet’ building in the grounds, AGE UK have decided that because they can't monetise Woodcot, they are going to sell it to someone who can… most likely a developer. In breach of the covenant.
Salcombe will be the loser. Don't let this happen.
AGE UK didn't pay a penny for Woodcot. It was given to them and if they can't make a go it - the moral thing for a charity to do is to pass it on to a new charity in the spirit in which they themselves got it - not sell it for profit.
PLEASE. Sign this petition. Ask AGE UK to pass Woodcot on to another charity in the spirit in which they got it themselves. Completely Free.
PLEASE. Donate in support of this campaign :
THANKYOU
3,940
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition created on 14 July 2025