LEONARD Cheshire would have been “absolutely appalled” to learn that Holehird, the Lake District home that he chose and founded, was to shut.

Two long-standing residents, Carole Pouton and Dorothy Sorrell, remember the much-decorated Second World War RAF pilot who founded the charity that has provided their home for several decades.

“Leonard Cheshire would be absolutely appalled. He was a humanitarian and he could not bear to think of people being pushed out of a home,” said Mrs Sorrell.

Carole Pouton added: “In Leonard Cheshire’s day his words were ‘it’s your home for life’.” The two women, who are both wheelchair users, and 23 fellow residents, now face leaving their beloved Lakeland house, where Cheshire would visit them, and they would find him lying on the sofa watching the television.

Mrs Sorrell said: “He used to often say ‘what do you find the hardest thing about disability’ and I think the answer is always the same – loss of independence.” The women, together with Pat Evans, who is the newest resident, claim that closure of their home will lead to just such loss of independence for them.

After coming to Holehird for respite visits for several years, Mrs Evans, 62, decided to make the move permanently last month, and spent time and money decorating her room. Mrs Evans said no one mentioned to her that Holehird could be under threat.

She said that despite having experienced excellent help from carers while still living at home, she had less flexibility than at Holehird. At home she was often required to go to bed at a set time, when carers were on hand, but at Holehird there were staff on duty at night and therefore more flexibility.

Since arriving she had made cakes and toffee apples and done other things she had not been able to do before. She was even able to go into Windermere on her own.

“They say it’s an institution but I think for me it’s more independence and doing more of the things I want to do and can do because I know there’s somebody around all the time.” Miss Pouton, 57, who after more than 40 years at Holehird is the longest-standing resident, said that at an event last year residents were assured by John Winkler, the regional director, that the home would not shut. The staff were told the same just one month before the closure announcement, she said.

Miss Pouton said she is puzzled by the charity’s assertion that the demands of the Care Standards Act were to blame for the decision. One rule, that all rooms should have en suite bathrooms, had been relaxed by the Government, while the other, that units should have a maximum of ten beds, did not fit in with the charity’s intention to build a 30-bed unit in the Lancaster or Morecambe Bay area.

The residents have had several offers of help with building and to fund-raise. They suspect that because Holehird is not owned by Leonard Cheshire, and is therefore not an asset, the charity is reluctant to spend money on it.

They agree there have been problems recruiting staff but say that this should be managed by the charity. Far from feeling isolated, they talk about the large number of visitors, the wonderful support of volunteers and how professional callers to the home say it is extremely well equipped – with much of that being provided by volunteers.

None of the women want to leave their home. Miss Pouton said that last year when she was very ill with double pneumonia and lying in an intensive care unit, the only thing that kept her going was imagining the lake view from Holehird.

Mrs Evans said: “Disabled people have a lot of choices, through no fault of their own, taken away from them and I think it’s just dreadful to remove what few choices we have left without any consultation.” Mrs Sorrell said she refused to give up hope that Holehird could be kept open.

“One of the things about disability is that there’s no light at the end of the tunnel - you have to live with it. But with something like this you have got to have hope.” l The residents are urging people to sign a petition, write to their MP, or contact the chairman of Leonard Cheshire, Charles Morland, at 30 Millbank, London SW1P 4QD.