Summer fair fun helps Hartlepool nursing home residents '˜go on holiday'

Dinsdale Lodge in Seaton Carew opened its doors to the community for the busy event and welcomed residents, family, friends and passers by.

They got to enjoy hearing talented singer Ben Bartlett, 14, who has autism who has been singing to residents of the home for over six years.

He sang in the garden where there was also a tombola table and jewellery stall manned by one of the resident’s granddaughters.

Inside visitors could hunt for a bargain on the bric-a-brac stall, buy raffle tickets and pay a visit to the coffee and cake stall.

Staff volunteered on their days of to help make the fair a success.

Donna Robinson, the home’s activities coordinator, said: “It was a successful day and all the planning paid off on the day £395.51 was raised.

“Ben came in and sang in the garden it was a lovely sunny day. The Tombola was our most popular stall of the day.”

The proceeds help to fund a trip for six residents and four staff to visit Beamish for the day using a wheelchair accessible hire bus.

Donna added: “One of our residents had been telling everyone ‘I’m going on holiday’ and in our latest residents meeting residents choose to write there own page and thank staff.

“There was some lovely comments such as ‘I am very happy here I love the staff. I’m content with my bedroom and everything’. Another resident states ‘I would like to thank everyone for everything’.

“Our next trip is to go to the maritime museum in the next two weeks and this would not be possible without our fundraising events.

“Dinsdale Lodge would like to thank everyone for there support.”