Care home provider The Fremantle Trust invited the local community to join residents for a varied selection of activities and events for Care Home Open Week.

Each service taking part within the Trust welcomed visitors as they went on show-rounds with our Family Liaison Managers, joined in activities with our residents as well as sampling the delicious food available within each home. Some services also provided entertainment, including a set from Opera Singer Harry Kersley at Lent Rise House and a performance of Elvis classics from performer Gary Ronan at Farnham Common House and Mulberry Court. 

At Icknield Court, we welcomed the Fremantle Trust Recruitment team to help raise awareness of the variety of roles on offer within the care industry. Over at The Heights, the team introduced an intergenerational theme by inviting nursery children from a local school to interact with the residents. Other homes including Lewin House, Fremantle Court, and Chesham Leys had afternoon tea events, dancing and even a ‘Where’s Wally’ style day in the life video. 

Homes within the Trust were part of 1,500 care homes across the UK participating in Care Home Open Week from 27 June to 3 July 2022 – aimed at encouraging communities to engage with care home residents and the exceptional care professionals that care for them.

Community and Lifestyle Manager, Sue Faulkner commented: “By opening our homes to visitors and sharing a few hours with us, we can show how wonderful our homes are with inspiring unique residents and compassionate, caring staff. People will quickly get a better understanding of what life in a care home is really like, with days filled with stimulating and fun activities, delicious food, social clubs and great events. We want people in the community to be a part of this unique and very interesting lifestyle.”

Care Home Open Week has been led by Championing Social Care, a volunteer-led group of leaders from across the social care sector. This year’s event aimed to celebrate the value of social care, and drive recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic amid increasing reliance on the sector and widespread staff shortages.