A four million pound drive to rebuild a care home for journalists has been launched by the Queen at St James’ Palace.

The Journalists’ charity the Newspaper Press Fund has begun a campaign to turn its out-of-date care home in Dorking into a state-of-the-art nursing and extra accommodation centre.

The fund, founded in 1864, is the oldest and largest benevolent organisation for journalists. Over the years it has helped millions by providing sheltered and residential care homes, dispensing regular grants and occasional lump sum payments, and giving introductions to medical consultants.

NPF’s patron, the Queen, was the guest of honour at a launch reception on Tuesday, which was sponsored by the lottery company Camelot.

The current care home – the only retirement accommodation solely for journalists and their dependents – was built in the 1960s and is no longer able to comply with new regulations or to provide round the clock care.

Assistant director Anne Moxham said: “The old care home was built in late 1969 and it’s becoming clear that it cannot meet current best practice.

“The home needs to be rebuilt in order to provide the best possible care.

“We are particularly aware of the need have better facilities for people with elderly mental infirmity diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The new care home will include an eight-bed unit for these patients.”

The NPF is looking towards the industry for donations and hopes to raise £4m towards the cost of redevelopment.

The most generous contributors will have parts of the centre named after them. The price-tags on the various sections of the building range from £40,000 for a bedroom to £100,000 for the dining room.

The central meeting hub will be named after a contributor who has given £250,000 and the various wings of the building will have the names of those who have given £500,000. A £1m contribution will lead to the whole centre having your name.

Anne said: “We say that when people give small donations, they are buying a brick for the new care home.”

The NPF has around 5,000 members and the new care home, like the old one, will have space for 20 people.

Anne said: “Given that the care home is a facility only for journalists and their dependents there it is not in huge demand – accommodation for 20 people is enough.

“We are also building five extra care flats for sheltered housing; people in sheltered housing receive care but still have their own front door.”