France/ Champsecret. A partnership between Vivre en famille and Savoir et le fer

Restoration of the Varenne forges is complete. Perpetuating the history of the forges is now the main objective of the Vivre en famille association, which held its general meeting on Saturday September 23, 2023.

The general meeting of theVivre en famille association took place on Saturday September 23, 2023, at the Forges de Varenne in Champsecret(Orne). Several points caught the attention of participants.

The home for handicapped adults has encountered a number of difficulties following the eradication of the merula, the Covid which affected residents and staff, and recruitment difficulties. Activities were maintained in their entirety, and the work enabled the qualitative restoration of seven rooms and the creation of a Snoezelen area.

After three years of work, the restoration of the Forges de Varenne has been completed, at a cost of 1.2 million euros, thanks to numerous partners. Fabien Labaisse continued the work of his father Maurice Labaisse. His work was formalized on July 4, 2022.

International adoption remains on hold, given the national and international context, and the new law of February 2022, which restricts this possibility.

The budget has been maintained, despite the heavy workload associated with the merula and salary increases linked to the provisions of the Ségur health law.

Perpetuating the knowledge and history of the forges

Ludovic Assier, Chairman, and the Board of Directors signed an agreement with the association le Savoir et le fer, chaired by Thierry Olivier.Thierry Olivier, to enhance the value of the Varenne forges site, consider ways of opening it up to as many people as possible, and determine the best way to carry out work on the building.

Fabien Labaisse and an author are to produce a book to perpetuate the knowledge and history of these forges, and the role played by the Vivre en famille association in the revival of the site.

The new board of directors now comprises : Ludovic Assier president, Édith Labaisse honorary president, Sabine Jamet vice-president, Stéphane Pouessel vice-president, Olivier Petit vice-president, Alain Guinoiseau treasurer, Hugues Le Guellec deputy treasurer, Catherine Bunel secretary, Véronique Lucbert (assistant secretary), Fabien Labaisse (forges de Varenne coordinator), Maurice Mercier (youth center coordinator), Didier Lardeux, Arnaud Jamet, Marylène Albouy, Karine Marquet, Thierry Olivier, Stéphanie Grasteau (digital communications), Pierre Galland, Antoine Beauplet.

Source: www.ouest-france.fr/