As festival season gets into full swing across the UK, three Newbury care homes have blessed their very own Pyramid stages in events full of dancing, music and fun, writes Jemima Kerr.
The Donnington, Thatcham Court and Bayford House opened their doors to the community who were entertained by a bill of local artists including Emily Day and Gary Witts, creating what organisers described as an “unbeatable festival atmosphere”.
The event, dubbed Bupa Fest, saw residents and staff alike don the flamboyant outfits synonymous with music festivals.
Attendees at The Donnington were also treated to a visit from the ice cream man and enjoyed an ice cream cone with a flake out in the sunshine, followed by either a burger or hotdog and chips for dinner.
Residents described it as “true festival food”, while those at Thatcham Court enjoyed a fancy dress competition, tombola, raffle, and a buffet.
Thatcham mayor, Suzanne Adamantos, and deputy mayor, Petra Pemberton, also joined in the celebrations.
And 82-year-old resident Hilda Miligan said: “It was a fantastic day. I loved the music; it was great fun to have a dance and a singalong.”
Home manager at The Donnington, Tania Mosdell, added: “We were delighted to welcome the local community, friends and families to join in our Bupa Fest event. It was a joyful day for all involved.
“Music carries a number of benefits including boosting mood, helping to relax and stimulating memory. We’ve made lots of new memories and hopefully brought up some old, fond ones for our residents, reminiscing on their festival-going days.
“It’s our ambition to create events which foster a fun and engaging environment for our residents and after the success of Bupa Fest, we’re looking forward to hosting further activities in the coming months.”
