A harvest festival held at HC-One’s Jack Dormand Care Home in Peterlee, Redcar and Cleveland, helped Residents to meet new people, make friends and create meaningful moments in the company of others.
The event was also in support of Silver Sunday, which helps combat loneliness within the community and helps to increase happiness and wellbeing.
On Thursday 4th Ocober, Residents gathered together to assist the kitchen in peeling carrots, leeks, potatoes and onions for the Harvest Festival soup kitchen the next day. They had a great time and it brought back lots of happy memories from their younger days.
Jack Dormand invited their elderly neighbours and welcomed members of the local community to mark the start of the autumn season on Friday 5th October. They hosted a range of harvest themed activities including a harvest service from Father McNeil from St Mary’s Church in Horde, ate soup and sang hymns.
Residents and staff donated food items and distributed the harvest collection to the local food bank.
Marie Shillaw, Home Manager at HC-One’s Jack Dormand Care Home commented:
“Combining Silver Sunday and Harvest festival gave Residents the opportunity to get to know people in the community and to build relationships with each other.
“The event was a great success and we were so pleased to be able to donate valuable food to our neighbours.”
Silver Sunday celebrates older people and helps to combat loneliness, while Harvest Festival celebrates food that’s grown and produced on England’s home soil.
Resident Frank Clark commented:
“It was lovely to see Father McNeil today and the soup was delicious.”