Residents, families, friends and team members raised a cuppa at Colten Care’s four dedicated dementia care homes to help a national charity campaign designed to raise vital funds for life-changing support.
Linden House in Lymington, St Catherines View in Winchester, The Aldbury in Poole and Fernhill in Longham, Dorset, staged tea parties, coffee mornings, cake sales, knit-and-natter groups and community activities as part of Time for a Cuppa, Dementia UK’s biggest annual fundraiser.
It aims to highlight the importance of the charity’s specially trained Admiral Nurses who work across the community in care homes, hospitals and hospices.
In partnership with Dementia UK, Colten Care employs Admiral Nurse Kay Gibson to offer families expert, one-to-one support, guidance and practical solutions, especially when circumstances become challenging.
Kay said: “As well as enjoying a restorative brew and a piece of cake, Time for a Cuppa is an ideal opportunity for families to get together and talk about their experience of dementia, hopefully reducing some of the stigma associated with it.”
Fernhill team members staged both an Alice in Wonderland-inspired ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’ at the home and a picnic visit to a nearby farm that provides animal therapy for people with disabilities.
Wearing Mad Hatter T-shirts and hats they designed in arts and crafts sessions, the residents fed chickens, cuddled baby goats and spent time with alpacas, pigs, ducks and ponies.
One member of the party, June, said: “The baby goat cuddle made my whole day.”
Fellow resident Graham said: “It felt lovely to be out in the fresh air with the animals.”
And another, Monica, said: “It was the best minibus trip I’ve ever had. I’d love to go on another outing very soon.”
At Linden House, visitors were invited to make a small donation in exchange for a homemade cupcake or a slice of a larger cake decorated with the Dementia UK ‘forget-me-not’ emblem.
Priya Joseph, Linden House Home Manager, said: “A huge thank-you to everyone who supported us and came along to our Time for a Cuppa party. It’s all part of our focus on building relationships with families to ensure our residents are living well with dementia.”
Colten Care’s dementia strategy includes regular drop-in sessions with Kay and fellow clinical experts plus regular team conferences aimed at sharing best practice in dementia care.
Chief Operating Officer Elaine Farrer said: “Admiral Nurses improve people’s lives and save precious public money by reducing hospital admissions and GP referrals. That’s why, as part of our dementia care strategy, we provide Admiral Nurse support to our residents, their relatives and our own team. Kay’s input is not solely for our dedicated dementia care homes but for any families across all our 21 homes who are concerned about dementia. It’s only because of our focus on professional nursing and clinical support that seven of our homes, including Fernhill and Linden House, are rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission.”
*The Fernhill team are due to host an afternoon tea as part of Dementia Action Week at Ferndown’s Royal British Legion on Friday 22 May 2026. The event features live music from a trio of musicians who play in the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/Ferndowndementiafriendlytown/.
