Can you help Hartlepool care home give residents a blast from the past?

A 1950s record player and radio gathered by Katrina Wilson activities coordinator at Seaton Hall residential home.

Seaton Hall Residential Home in Seaton Carew, is on the look out for vintage items from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s in the hope of creating a room that will remind residents of happy days gone by.

The unique idea comes from the home’s activities coordinator Katrina Wilson, 35, who hopes generous members of the public will be able to help by donating vintage items such as old TV’s, phones and even a vintage style mannequin to give the room a unique feel.

A section of the sensory room created by Katrina Wilson activities coordinator at Seaton Hall residential home.

She said: “We are a very happy home and all the residents are like extended family.

“We don’t want residents just to be sat there, so we are always doing things to keep them entertained. “I came up with the idea of creating a sensory room for the residents containing objects that the residents will members from their time. “It will contain objects such as old TV’s, a gramophone ad even a vintage dressing table from the 1940s to the 1960s which we hope will give resident the chance to reminisce. “I was inspired by places like Beamish and just hope by creating our own room it will allow residents to trigger happy memories of their childhood and growing up. “We just want to get as many objects as we can.”

Already staff and relatives of residents at the home have managed to scour charity shops to round up objects such as a vintage record player, dressing table, camera and service tray, but more objects are needed to fill the large space. The home, which currently has around 24 residents aged between 65 and 90 years old, also cares for those with dementia - a condition which Katrina feels may be helped by creating such a room.

Katrina, who has worked in her current role at the home since January this year, added: “I am also looking for any local builders or businesses who may be able to provide a partition wall for the room. “It is a massive room, so we are hoping to use the wall to spilt it down the middle to create a ‘then and now’ divide. “So one room will have the vintage objects and the other will have modern objects.

Katrina Wilson activities coordinator at Seaton Hall residential home with tea set.

“We are also looking for a mannequin to put a vintage outfit on.

“Some of the residents know that we are planning the room and they are really excited about it, so any help would be greatly appreciated.”

Anyone who is able to donate items is asked to drop them off at the home which is located at number 10 The Green, Seaton Carew, Hartlepool, TS25 1AS.

Alternatively larger items can be collected, call the home on: 01429 260095.