On Wednesday, December 13, Digby Court hosted a Winter Wonderland walkthrough, and everyone was welcome to attend.

The Winter Wonderland was something the home’s Acting Manager and the Activities Coordinator were eager to organize. They aimed to do something different that would bring joy to the residents at this time of year. The residents were consulted at each stage of the decision-making process for the event to ensure they felt valued.

After the initial planning process of what the event would include, it was time for everyone to roll up their sleeves and make the event happen. Abbie, the home’s Activity Coordinator, played a pivotal role in the organization and implementation of this event, along with the acting home manager, the handyman, and the admin.

For the event, the home wanted a main attraction. Since reindeer were not feasible, they decided on the next best thing: Alpacas! Gorefield Alpacas, a local farm, visited many of our homes and were wonderful with our residents. We highly recommend them to anyone looking to meet some alpacas.

The home also invited local traders to have a stand at the event. This included a waxmelt stand from a local trader, a cake stand from one of our volunteers raising funds for new roses in the garden, and lastly, a wine and water stand run by the home's Activity Coordinator.

Alongside the alpacas and table-top stands, the home decorated the garden with inflatables, fairy lights, and tinsel. They also created a nativity in the summer house and repurposed the pagoda as a photo booth for all visitors to enjoy. And it wouldn't be Christmas without a few Christmas songs playing in the garden.

The event was finished off with a round of carols from the local school and the local church for all the residents to enjoy and sing along with.

Christmas time is a very special time at Digby Court, and we wanted to share with you some thoughts from our residents on what Christmas means to them:

Benji: “I have been thinking of my turkey dinner.”

Brian H: “I had the pub for 20 years; Christmas was always a busy shift. The war hadn’t long finished, so everyone was in a happy-go-lucky spirit.”

Pauline: “It's Jesus’s birthday, and it’s close to my birthday!”

Margaret: “When I was young, we got all the vegetables from our own garden. Potatoes, Cauliflower, Carrots, Parsnips, and Brussels!”

Ted: “We never did Christmas on the boat; we had to keep our eyes open. I’ll be more relaxed this year; I think I’ll have a shandy!”

All the residents had a wonderful time at the event and loved seeing the alpacas. We can't thank everyone who helped pull this event together enough, and we really appreciate all the effort and hard work that went into it.

If you would like to know more about Digby Court care home, please call (01778 422035) or visit the home. Alternatively, Google "OSJCT Digby Court" to have a look at our website.