Man who organised London’s first Pride parade owed £30K after partner abused in care home

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

A man who organised London’s first Gay Pride parade has yet to receive a £30,000 payout from a council two years after it agreed to settle with him partly over claims his late partner suffered homophobic abused at a care home.

Ted Brown’s civil partner Noel Glynn told him that he had been held down and punched and was left with bruises on his chest and wrists during his 10 month stay in Albany Lodge Nursing Home in Croydon between 2018 and 2019, according to documents submitted as part of a civil case.

Mr Brown claims his partner of 50 years was also left with cigarette burns on his hand.

In 2021, Lambeth Council, who were responsible for Noel while he was in the home, offered to pay Ted £30,000 after admitting his accommodation was inappropriate.

But Ted says that two years later he has yet to see a penny of the promised compensation.

Noel escaped from the home in Croydon four times during his time there, and was “terrified” of returning to it, according to Ted.

He claimed a whistleblowing staff member informed him that Noel was taunted by two other workers who reportedly handled the dementia sufferer roughly and shouted: “Are you a gay man? Do you love gay men?”

Ted said the two staff members in question were suspended for two weeks following the incident but were allowed to return to the nursing home on a different floor to where Noel lived.

Ted, who met Noel at the first Pride event in 1972, said: “Noel was dragged into his room and everyone heard the sounds of him calling out for help for two or three minutes.”

Recalling an earlier incident that raised his suspicions his partner was being abused, Ted added: “We discovered a bruise on his body that went from his navel, around his back, together with a yellowing bruise on his chest where you could still see the knuckle prints where he had been punched.”

A doctor who assessed Noel at the home in February 2018 said he was “very concerned” that he appeared to have been assaulted by staff at the home.

Documents submitted as part of Mr Brown’s civil case reveal the doctor noted: “[Noel] stated that he didn’t like it here. When asked why he disliked being here, he said it was because ‘they beat me up’.

Staff at the home also refused to acknowledge their relationship, according to Ted who had been with Noel for 50 years. An email sent by the home to Ted soon after Noel moved into the home referred to him as Ted’s father, he claims.

Noel was eventually moved into another nursing home in October 2019. He died in 2021.

Future Care Group, which owns Albany Lodge, said: “[We] worked closely with the authorities in an investigation relating to Mr Glynn, which was closed at the time with recommendations that have been implemented. The health and wellbeing of our residents has always been our greatest priority and, in line with our values, we have mandatory diversity and equality training for all staff.”

A Lambeth council spokesman said: “The council took responsibility for Mr Glynn in 2018 after he was placed in a care setting in Croydon following a spell in hospital. When allegations of abuse were made the council fully investigated and shared the outcome with the police for follow up action.

“In agreement with Mr Glynn, the council supported his move to more suitable accommodation in 2019. We are in contact with Mr Brown to keep him updated on this case and are sorry for the experiences he and Mr Glynn had of care services.”

Pictured top: Ted Brown, left, and his partner Noel Glynn in later years (Picture: Theodore Brown)