From knitting poppies to attending community events, Colten Care residents – many of whom served in the armed forces or otherwise have wartime memories – have taken time to reflect on the Remembrance themes of sacrifice and service.
At Brook View in West Moors, Dorset, team members accompanied residents Bill White and Sylvia Paddy to an official community commemoration on Remembrance Sunday.
Watched in respectful silence by dozens of onlookers from church, military and community groups, RAF veteran Bill laid a wreath of poppies as a traditional symbol in tribute to the fallen.
Bill said afterwards: “I was honoured to lay a wreath at the war memorial and happy that I was able to join the parade.”
As well as the parade itself, Brook View residents took part in a Remembrance Sunday service at the home led by nearby St. Martin’s Church.
In Bournemouth meanwhile, residents at Colten Care’s Avon Cliff made and wore poppies and held a morning of reflection followed by an afternoon of singing wartime musical favourites alongside team members who donned period dress for the occasion.
“It was a lovely day,” said Audrey Reeson while fellow resident Keith Hames said the music, led by visiting singer Joanna Dawn Duffy of performance group Time2Shine, brought “plenty of smiles and memories”.
Companion Miezy Reynolds said: “Remembrance is always an important occasion for us as so many of our residents have childhood memories of the war and its aftermath.
“It’s a privilege to enable everyone to reflect on the season’s themes of sacrifice and service in the ways they choose.”
