Derek - Synopsis & Cast (below)

It's Christmas. Derek (Robert Maxfield) is discharged from a psychiatric unit.
He moves into Barlow House, which is a care in the community home for patients recovering from mental health problems.

He soon realises that the owners of the house, Cleo and Bernard Baron, are both scheming and uncaring individuals. Male nurse Andy, is equally uncaring and shows no respect for the residents or their needs.

An unhappy Christmas passes for Quiet Billy. (Ricky Tomlinson) Billy's family visits and they try to persuade him to come home for Christmas. However, he feels he is not well enough to take that step.

Ten months later: Derek has managed to gain an understanding of the problems that the other residents/patients face. He has actively helped Quiet Billy, Lazarus, Duggie the druggie, Loudmouth Bazzer, Compulsive Terry, and Mr Perfect Nigel, to rediscover their self-esteem.

Before the end of summer, Derek promises to take the residents at Barlow House to Salcombe, (a beautiful seaside town in Devon) to find Mr Perfect Nigel's daughter. Meanwhile Lazarus reveals to Derek and Billy, that the Barons are planning to sell Barlow House. This would, in turn, lead to the eviction of all the residents.

Before his illness, Billy was a successful estate agent. Derek encourages Billy to use his business skills and knowledge, to help devise a plan to save Barlow House. Billy agrees, and stays at Barlow House to monitor the situation and put the plan into action, whilst the others abscond to Devon.
Derek and his 'disciples' prepare to set off for Salcombe but Andy (the nurse) tries to stop them, leaving them with only one choice. - The residents kidnap him and steal Barlow house's mini-bus.

When they arrive in Devon, Derek finds Mr Perfect Nigel's daughter, living on a boat with her 2-year-old little girl. Nigel has never seen his granddaughter and is completely overwhelmed by the event.

However, Derek has to take the residents back to Barlow House, because Quiet Billy, has learnt that the residents' home is to be sold off before Christmas - Thus leaving the residents with the prospect of having to be re-housed, before Christmas comes along.

Derek schemes to buy Barlow House, to provide a safe family home for the residents.

They all live happily ever after - of course!

Derek - Cast

Ricky Tomlinson	Robert Maxfield	Steven Pinder	Malcolm Pitt
Gillian Jephcott	Claude Close