The Mabel Churn Centre Accouncement
Published on 31 August 2025 10:00 PM
Age UK Enfield is excited to announce the relocation of its dementia day care centre and prevention services to an established purpose-built building —marking a significant step forward in its mission to support and enrich the lives of older residents across the Borough.
Since the announcement of the forthcoming closure of the Parker Centre in Edmonton and the repurposing of the John Jackson Library in Bush Hill Park, Age UK Enfield has worked closely with Enfield Council to identify a suitable new location. With the Council’s support, the Charity has secured The Rose Taylor Centre, a building originally designed as a day care centre for older people. Its existing infrastructure provides an ideal foundation for refurbishment to meet modern standards of dementia care and legal requirements and helps us expand our existing services to meet the growing needs of the Borough’s older population.
The Parker Centre will be operating as usual until the new dementia day care service is ready; it is expected to open its doors in late October 2025. Age UK Enfield is and will continue to be engaging with clients and carers throughout the transition.
Thanks to generous funding—including a significant gift from The Mabs Mardulyn Charitable Foundation—work has already begun on the first phase of the refurbishment. In recognition of this generosity, the centre will be renamed The Mabel Churn Centre, honouring the woman whose legacy inspired the Foundation.
Mabel (or Mabs) Mardulyn née Churn was born in Hong Kong in 1919 and spent the early part of her life there. She moved to the UK around 1956 and settled in Enfield in the early 1980's where she was an active member of the Enfield community until her death in 2008. She created the Mabs Mardulyn Charitable Foundation as a lasting legacy to benefit young people and older people, both in the UK and Hong Kong.
The refurbishment has been shaped by the needs of our clients and the insights of our dedicated care team, both of whom have played an active role in the planning and design process.
The full refurbishment programme will take far longer, partly driven by the need for more necessary fundraising. It is anticipated the Prevention Services team will move into The Mabel Churn Centre from the library at the beginning of April 2026.
A Unified Vision for Care
Interim CEO Lesley King-Lewis commented:
“This important move, one which has been considered for some time by the Board, provides the Charity with the opportunity for our management team and support staff to work together under one roof. Not only will this further improve the way in which we work together, it will enable us to increase the number of dementia care clients we can accommodate as well as reaching more people with the vital services we provide.
With an aging population and a Borough that has one of the highest incidences of dementia alongside other health and welfare issues, the need for our services is as high as ever. It’s equally important that as a Charity we are embedded in the community; many of our events and activities are held in community venues around Enfield and this will continue unabated.”
Marion Kelly, Mab’s niece and one of the Directors of The Mabs Mardulyn Charitable Foundation added:
“My aunt was a kind and generous person who enjoyed being with her family and friends. She was very committed to supporting charitable causes, she championed the underdog and served anyone who needed help. We admire the tremendous work Age UK Enfield does and the positive impact they create for older people, their carers, families and friends affected by dementia and other age-related issues. We are delighted to support their ongoing work, and we know Mabs would be honoured to be recognised in this way.”
The Mabel Churn Centre, when it opens, will be located at 55b The Sunny Road, Brimsdown, Enfield EN3 5EF.