A summer garden party in the grounds of a Salisbury care home has raised more than £1,500 for city homelessness charity Alabaré.
The family-friendly afternoon at Colten Care’s Braemar Lodge gave residents and team members the chance to run stalls selling flowers, plants, jewellery, ornaments and other gift items.
Alongside was a raffle and tombola with prizes donated by staff, families and Salisbury businesses.
As well as enjoying a cream tea and cocktails, more than 100 guests were serenaded with live music from folk band Maerefolk whose set list included an original song about the Salisbury Giant.
At an Alabaré display stand, volunteers spoke to residents and families about the charity, thanking them for funds raised from the event which will go directly to help people at risk of or experiencing homelessness, including military veterans.
Representative Mike Bedford, joined by five veterans who volunteer, said: “The vets had a great time chatting with everyone. It was a brilliant afternoon. We thank Braemar Lodge for inviting us along and we really appreciate all that the residents, families and staff are doing for us.”
Braemar Lodge resident Sheila Nell, who watched the event set-up from her bedroom window overlooking the garden before joining the party, said: “It was fabulous. Both my friend who came and I loved it.”
Graham Ballard, Companionship Team Leader at the Stratford Road home, said helping ex-service personnel through Alabaré reflects and complements the home’s wider ‘veteran-friendly’ status.
He added: “There was a really homely and inclusive feel to the afternoon. We received lots of lovely comments about all aspects of the event, not least the garden for how colourful it is looking and for all the planting and preparation that has been done.”
The party came just a few weeks after residents and staff at Braemar Lodge began an ongoing Shakespeare-inspired ‘Stratford-to-Stratford’ walking challenge in aid of Alabaré. The aim is to cover the equivalent distance from Stratford Road to and from Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon, some 169.6 miles, by completing laps around the garden. Participants include walkers and wheelchair users.
The next community event at Braemar Lodge is an open gardens afternoon on Saturday 1 August, from 12pm to 4pm. Musicians from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra will perform from 2pm to 3pm. The afternoon is part of this year’s Salisbury Hospice Open Gardens campaign which has Colten Care as headline sponsor.
For more information, visit www.coltencare.co.uk/braemar-lodge/events.
