TWO friends who were forced to move after their care home announced it would be closing have found a new place together.

Close friends Lucille Vaughan, 38 and Rachel Armitage, 54 lived in Milton Heights residential home and day centre near Didcot, but were forced to move out after managers announced that it would be closing.

The community connections team, a wellbeing and employment support provision offered by Oxfordshire County Council’s adult social care service, stepped in and helped the friends find a home.

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They had both made it clear that they wanted to live together somewhere that could allow them to be independent and have the chance to allow their long friendship to flourish.

Now they are keeping their independence and moving to Mayott House, an extra care facility in Abingdon.

Their social worker Lisa Onishi, from the community connections team, said: “Their families have told me how happy they are in their new digs.

“I spoke to Lucille following her move to see how she was doing. She exclaimed ‘it’s wonderful’ and went on to say that she loves her new home because she ‘can get up when I like, eat what I like and do what I like’.”