A Chichester care home celebrated a decade of community care with an elegant and fun Royal Ascot-themed anniversary afternoon.
Team members at Colten Care’s Wellington Grange needed no excuse to pose as horses and jockeys to race each other in front of an eager audience gathered in the grounds.
As well as the garden races, the Broyle Road home’s tenth birthday provided an ideal opportunity for residents, families, friends and staff to ‘dress to impress’.
There was a fascinator hat competition with designs created by residents, won by Cynthia McCallum.
And there were staff party costumes made by Samantha Shaw, one of three colleagues – along with Lana Cooper and Kathy Rowe – who have worked at the home since it opened in 2016.
The party was soundtracked with live harp music and a choir performance in the lounge led by Colten Care’s Music & Arts Partner Fiona Pritchard.
Elsewhere in the home, guests were able to view a time-lapse film of Wellington Grange being built.
Resident Elizabeth said: “The food was amazing and it was the best party I have been to since I’ve been here.”
Two visiting relatives, Pet and Jan, told team members: “You all worked so hard to make the day run smoothly and successfully. The atmosphere was absolutely wonderful.”
A raffle held in aid of St Wilfrid’s Hospice in Chichester raised £200.
Wellington Grange was officially opened in the spring of 2016 by the then Mayor of Chichester, Councillor Peter Budge.
The Mayoral event complemented a public open day hosted by TV health presenter and author Dr Hilary Jones.
When it opened, Wellington Grange was the biggest Colten Care home, extending to 72 bedrooms and an overall footprint of 4,138 square metres. Its 84-week construction programme involved a total of 426 site workers.
Home Manager Hayley Geddes said: “As we take a moment to look back, we remain privileged to play a vital community role in helping Chichester cater for the needs of its older people. This a sumptuous home with an amazing team who work with commitment and enthusiasm to ensure our residents enjoy refined living every day backed with the peace of mind of having professional nursing on hand.”
