RESIDENTS, families and team members at care homes in Dorset and Hampshire stepped out to enjoy a day of picnics and fun in the open air.
Gardens, courtyards and summer houses around seven Colten Care homes hosted meals, live music, singalongs and trips down ‘memory lane’ as guests reminisced about picnics in years gone by.
Residents and home chefs joined forces to prepare and lay out a variety of traditional picnic fare such as quiches, sausage rolls, dips, cheese and cucumber sandwiches and salads.
And there were old fashioned drinks on offer including ginger beer, homemade lemonade and dandelion and burdock cordials.
The celebratory get-togethers, inspired by International Picnic Day, took place at the Colten homes Canford Chase and The Aldbury in Poole, Woodpeckers in Brockenhurst, Fernhill in Longham, Whitecliffe House in Blandford, Abbey View in Sherborne and Belmore Lodge in Lymington.
At Canford Chase, several residents spent the morning making up sandwiches and cutting up vegetables ready to present on the outdoor tables.
At Fernhill, like The Aldbury a dedicated dementia care home, there was a distinct ‘1950s retro feel’ with gingham-checkered fabrics featuring in hampers and on blankets, aprons, tablecloths and Companions’ skirts.
As well as the outdoor feast in their garden, residents at Fernhill took a minibus trip to Hamworthy Park on the Poole seafront for a picnic lunch there too.
Companionship team leader Cara Duroe said: “The experience of sharing food outdoors brought back many memories for our residents of when picnics were a cherished family tradition.”
Among those performing live music was pianist Kevin Pritchard, a member of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, who entertained the picnic-goers at Woodpeckers.