A booklet giving the reports and statements of accounts for the Jewish Home for the Aged, South Wales, Monmouthshire and West of England, which was located at Penylan House, Penylan Road, Cardiff. The cover of the booklet features an illustration of Penylan House's exterior and states that the information inside covers up to and including 31 December 1988.

Throughout the booklet there are advertisements for local businesses, mostly Cardiff-based, such as Bogod Group, Curran Insurance, A. Krotosky (Kosher Butcher), Webb's Nurseries, Colin Turner Painting and Decorating and Gwinnut Ltd. As well as these, there are messages from individuals such as a page which states 'With Best Wishes from Ernest and Martin Hornung and Family'.

There is a list of the Board of Management, with the president being Mr H. Shatz, Honorary Secretary being Mrs B. Fox, Vice presidents being Mr I. Lightman and Mr C. Harris and Honorary Treasurer being Mr F. Toffler. Assessment officers, Trustees, Life Governors and the General Board are amongst other groups which are also named. An 'URGENT APPEAL' is given, emphasising how the Home is not state-controlled, therefore is dependent on voluntary contributions. Further donations are encouraged and towards the back of the booklet, there is a form which is titled 'Covenant to contribute' to the Home. This allowed readers to promise to pay a certain amount annually for the next four years as a donation to the Home.

In addition, the booklet contains reports from the President, the Treasurer, the Matron and the Welfare Committee. The President's Report outlines the measures taken to upgrade the Home to dual registration standards (Residential and Nursing home) such as refurbishing the dining room. Thanks is given to George and Betty Fox for their raising of funds (from mostly non-Jewish sources from outside Cardiff), which helped finance the refurnishing of bedrooms and the installation of a modern nurse-call system. The President then gives an appeal to both Jewish congregations in Cardiff who don't currently support the Home to donate, stating that two thirds of the communities offer no support. Also, younger members of the community are encouraged to volunteer for a few hours a week, with a view to finding someone to take over the running of the Home in the future. The Honorary Treasurer's report (Felix Toffler's first in the role) summarises how there has been a 4% increase in expenditure, mostly due to increased salaries but this was largely compensated by the reduction in expenditure on repairs due to recent refurbishment. Toffler highlights how dependant the home is on voluntary donations for financial support. The Matron's support comments on the sad passing of residents over the past year but also the welcoming of new faces and the higher numbers of visitors. The Welfare Committee Report states that the previous year has marked the beginning of 'Friends of Penylan', aimed at reaching other members of the community, inviting them to support future functions. In terms of fundraising, George and Betty Fox are detailed as raising £1000, with the same figure being raised again at a social evening at the Mansion House.

A subscription list is included as well as the Revenue Account, the Balance Sheet and the project Account. The booklet ends with a note of thanks for people who have donated money, time or goods to be sold in aid of the Home. On the back cover of the booklet gives thanks for all the donations in 1987 and encourages readers to include residents in any celebrations they may be having the following year. Readers are encouraged to help in the "tremendous task we have in running this Home" by endowing a room, bed, furnishings or a plaque, which would both leave an everlasting memorial and improve the Home. For example, to endow a bed cost £650 and to endow a double room cost £3000.

There are two separate sheets inside the booklet. The first is a letter addressed to "Subscriber" (with the word "Non/" written next to it in pen. The letter addresses the fact that its reader had once donated to Penylan House but now no longer provides financial support. The letter encourages the reader to reconsider future donation to "make the lives of those who live here as happy as possible". The letter is from F. Toffler, Hon. Treasurer. The second sheet is the agenda for the Annual General Meeting of Penylan House, which would be held on Sunday 18 June 1989 at 3pm. The agenda is split into eight points: the minutes, the Chairman's Report, the presentation of the balance sheet, the adoption of the balance sheet, the proposed change of name of the Home, the appointment of Hon. Solicitor and Auditors, election of further members of the Penylan House Team and "any other business".

Pencare (formerly known as 'The Trustees of Penylan House') is a charity, which offers care for elderly people of the Jewish faith and is currently based in Cardiff, although the catchment area for the home covers South Wales and the West of England. Pencare has been working with Linc Cymru to redevelop their care home, Penylan House, to ensure high quality care to Cardiff's elderly Jewish community and extending the care to elderly people not of the Jewish faith.

Mr Henry Silver and other members of the Cardiff Jewish community had originally founded a Home for the Aged in 1946 in Canton. In December 1948, the Home moved to Holme Towers in Penarth to provide more space for its large number of applications. Despite the beautiful surroundings, the Home in Penarth was quite isolated, so the difficult decision was later taken to move the Home to Penylan Road in Cardiff, meaning many residents were now closer to their friends and relatives. Residents moved to Penylan House in February 1959.

Sources:
http://opencharities.org/charities/243968;
http://www.housingcare.org/downloads/facilities/generated-brochures/134…;
Cajex, Magazine of the Association of Jewish Ex-service Men and Women (Cardiff), Vol. IX, No. 1, Ninth Year - March 1959, pp. 60- 65.

Depository: Glamorgan Archives.