Homes celebrate Queen's birthday and National Care Home Day

Field View Care Home resident Stan Spowart getting up close and personal with HM Queen Elizabeth. Picture by FRANK REID

Staff and residents at Field View Care Home, in Blackhall Colliery, celebrated all things Commonwealth as they put up the bunting to hold a Royal Community Tea Party in honour of The Queen’s birthday and National Care Home Open Day.

Field View, which offers residential and dementia care to the elderly, celebrated the day with a live music concert from singer Katie West and served up a selection of refreshments, cakes and snacks at an all-day tea party at the home which was open to guests from the community free of charge.

Field View Care Home resident Bill Simkins (3rd Right) with staff members (left to right) Deborah Molloy, Ann Sewell, Sharon Quinn, Helen Carter, Janice Hardy and Ashley Bewick wearing their royal family masks. Picture by FRANK REID

The home also held their own version of the Commonwealth Games for residents, staff and guests, with foods from countries in the Commonwealth served in an afternoon taster session.

The event was held in honour of National Care Home Open Day, which encourages care homes across the country to connect with their local community and build meaningful relationships with people in their area, and also to celebrate in conjunction with the Queen’s 92nd birthday.

Activities Co-ordinator at Field View and organiser of their Royal Community Tea, Janice Hardy said: “We’ve all had a wonderful day.

“Everyone was looking forward to the tea party in the run up to the event so we’re so pleased it was such a success.

Field View Care Home manager Michelle Howarth (left) with resident Jean Drew before they tuck into their selection of cakes. Picture by FRANK REID

“We believe it’s important that people living in care homes get to maintain an active role in the local community and events like National Care Home Open Day are a great opportunity to build relationships with people in the local area.

“A lot of the residents here are very Royalist, with a number of them having done National Service and some serving in the RAF, so it was something they wanted to get involved with.”

Meanwhile Dinsdale Lodge Care Home, in Seaton Carew, welcomed the Mayor of Hartlepool Councillor Paul Beck to meet with staff and residents as part of a celebration ahead of National Care Home Open Day.

“It’s gone absolutely brilliantly,” said activities co-ordinator Donna Robinson.

FeelField View Care Home resident and former Hartlepool United and Middlesborough FC physiotherapist Tommy Johnson enjoying a sing-a-long. Picture by FRANK REID. Picture by FRANK REID

“The residents helped to make a cake for the mayor and mayoress, who loved it, and some of them got pictures with them.

“We’ve got our own open day on Sunday when we’ve got a singer coming in and the staff will be getting dressed up in vintage clothing.

“We try to do as much with the residents as we can whether it’s pet therapy, staff wearing pyjamas to help with sleeping patterns or giving them the chance to do a virtual reality tour of places in Hartlepool.

“They raised money to go do the Emmerdale TV show tour last year and they’ve said that they want to go to Beamish this time so they’re looking forward to that.”