At Redcot, the residential care home in Haslemere, Surrey, which is run by charity Friends of the Elderly, residents have had a tea-riffic time celebrating this year’s Afternoon Tea Week.
“We know how much all our residents love their daily good cups of tea, which they also enjoy at our regularly afternoon tea parties,” said Jan Daly, the Registered Manager at Redcot. “So, to give them a special treat and to celebrate this year’s Afternoon Tea Week, we pulled out all the stops, or should I say t-leaves, and hosted a different tea-themed afternoon each day.”
Afternoon Tea Week ran from 12th to 16th August, and Jan and her team made sure each event was ‘beau-tea-ful’. On Monday 12th August, residents got the ‘part-tea’ started with Yorkshire Tea Day celebrations. “A good old cup of Yorkshire Tea with dunking biscuits, always goes down well,” added Jan. “All the residents said they had a ‘brew-tiful’ time.”
Tuesday 13th was Devon vs Cornwall Cream Tea Day. “We had a great laugh,” said Ann Essam, Redcot’s Activities Coordinator. “Firstly we debated whether it was pronounced Scones or Scons (Scones was the winner) and then the big question – jam before cream, or cream before jam? Like The Late Queen, the majority of our residents prefer to put jam on their yummy Scones first, but when it comes to what type of Scone they enjoy the most – plain, fruit or cheese – the jury was out with a split decision.”
On Wednesday 14th, Redcot hosted its very own Ritz-styled afternoon tea – ‘Tea at The Redcot’. “The Ritz started serving its quintessential and famous afternoon teas back in 1906 when the hotel first opened, so we thought it would be a lovely idea to bring the feel the iconic hotel’s afternoon tea to our residents,” continued Jan.
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“Danity finger sandwiches and delicious homemade cakes were served, with warming cups of tea poured into Bone China tea cups. The residents loved the Ritz theme and adored it, talking about their own visits to The Ritz and other hotels where they have enjoyed a grand afternoon tea.”
It was Lancashire’s turn on Thursday 15th. “The residents got into the Red Rose Spirit of the county,” continued Ann. “We served them Lancashire Tea and the county’s traditional Parkin Cake, and for supper everyone tucked into a delicious Lancashire Hot Pot.”
London took centre stage for the final themed afternoon, but with a slight twist. “We focused on London for the last day of Afternoon Tea Week,” added Jan. “Pie and Mash is one of our residents’ ‘guilt-tea’ pleasures. We had a wonderful reminiscing time where the residents talked about their love of pie, mash and liquor, covered in plenty of pepper and vinegar; where they first tasted the time-honoured London delicacy and which pie and mash shop was the best. That was quite a debate – Manze’s in London Bridge, Berts on Peckham Park Road, Cooke’s on Brick Lane – everybody had their favourite.”
“Our residents really know their pie and mash,” continued Ann. “One resident knew that the first pie and mash shop in the UK was opened in 1844. It was referred to as Eel Pie House and was in Southwark, London. They never cease to amaze me.”
“The Afternoon Tea Week was a great success. The residents have already asked if we can do it again next year. It was a lovely, fun and inclusive way to spend the week. Full of memories and sharing happy experiences – and jokes too. One joke had me laughing so hard, I was crying. ‘Why is Chinese Tea so good? Because it takes a very Oolong time to brew’,” concluded Jan.
