A DISABLED former Royal Marine, who can no longer bathe himself has to travel to Newent each week to have a bath because he finds the services in Cinderford too ‘degrading’.

Eighty-five-year old Mervyn Martin, who served fighting insurgents during the Malaya Emergency, doesn’t have a disabled bath at home and relies on the help of carers to have a wash and go to the toilet.

Up until a fortnight ago he used to have his baths at Foxes Bridge Day Centre in Cinderford, but now he spends almost an hour travelling to Newent for the same service.

He said: “I’ve been going to Foxes Bridge Day Centre for two years now and was having a bath there as I don’t have a disabled bath at my home.

“But now they’ve stop doing baths and showers at the day centre. They don’t help you when you need to go to the toilet. They just stick you in a hoist, it’s so degrading.

“Now I’m going to Sheppard House by dial-a-ride and it takes me an hour to get there. I just can’t hack it.”

Tina Reid, operations lead for adult social care and business development, said: “We are unable to comment on people’s individual care needs. Bathing facilities are available at Foxes Bridge with an assessment of each individual’s care needs.”

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