Colleagues and Residents at HC-One’s Springfield House in Low Fell, Gateshead recently opened their brand-new, vintage Haberdashery in their Grace Unit. The new facility provides a wide range of fashion items for Residents to browse and choose from.
Springfield House colleagues, Susan Dunne and Sharon Ferrage were given the go ahead to change the quiet lounge into a something more engaging for the Residents. Once they got started, there was no stopping them.
To fill the shop, Julie Henry, Springfield House wellbeing coordinator, sourced some beautiful hats, hats stands, scarves and costume jewellery from a very kind local hat maker, Lillie’s Fascinators. Sharon and Susan also donated some clothes, hats and bags from members of their families along with other items such as wool, cotton, threads and fabric.
The result of Susan and Sharon’s, or ‘S&S’ as they have now become known, hard work, is the most beautiful and peaceful environment for Springfield House Grace unit Residents to lose themselves in.
To mark its completion on Saturday 18th July, Colleagues held a grand opening event of the aptly named ‘S&S Haberdashery’. Ribbons were cut by Springfield’s longest serving resident, Muriel Calboutin, otherwise known as Topsey, before everyone chose their favourite hat and enjoyed a spot of afternoon tea to celebrate.
Springfield House Care Assistant, Sharon Ferrage said: “It’s been hard work, but great fun and I can’t wait for the next team challenge, the garden.”
The Residents enjoyed choosing their hats and dressing for afternoon tea and they absolutely love their new Haberdashery, as it reminds them of the shops from past years.
“It’s like the shops when I was young, there is nothing better than a bit of retail therapy and its lovely that this is here for us in our home,” said one Springfield House Resident.
Susan and Sharon have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the makeover. They have thought about the Residents throughout every step of the process in order to create the perfect environment for the homes Grace Unit Residents.
Springfield House Home Manager Kay Rudd said: “It’s wonderful when you give staff a free rein and their enthusiasm turns a little used space into such an amazing, well thought out area that the residents will enjoy to use. Well done ladies, a fabulous job, beautifully executed’.