A MAJOR Winchester charity has announced the retirement of its chief executive after 10 years in the role.

Clive Cook has been in post since December 2013 and will retire in March 2024, at the end of the financial year.

St John’s is one of the country’s oldest charities with over nine centuries of history and years of experience supporting older people of limited means.

The charity helps to support older people in the community to live well. They provide services such as Homeshare, a scheme which aims to match an older householder who has a spare room with a younger lodger who can dedicate 10 hours a week to helping around the house.

READ MORE HERE: Former dementia care home to be repurposed

They also run a dementia support service, in partnership with Dementia UK, which supports people living with dementia aged over 55 as well as their families and carers.

St Johns has been building new almshouses off Colebrook Street. It closed its dementia unit at Moorside and plans to re-purpose the building.

Roger Bright, chair of St Johns, said: “Clive has worked under three St John’s chairs since he came to the charity, and I have been working with him for more than 3 years. It has been a great pleasure to deal with Clive. His actions and approach have always been informed by the charity’s values and he has the best interests of St John’s beneficiaries and staff at heart. He has helped create a culture here that nurtures effective teamworking and high performance. I know he will miss us and we will miss him when the time comes.

SEE MORE: Reasons for closure of Winchester care home

“The future is bright for St John’s and Clive has contributed greatly to that prospect alongside many others. It’s not quite time to wish Clive well for the future as he continues in post until March, which gives us time to find his successor. The charity will be marking Clive’s service of more than a decade in 2024 and we look forward to involving the Winchester community in that.”

Mr Cook, a lawyer, said: “It is not quite time to say goodbye, but I am sure that my final months at St John’s will be as enjoyable and challenging as those of the previous decade.

"I will miss my work colleagues, but I am sure that they, and my successor, will carry on the great caring traditions of St John’s in a modern setting.”