Celebrating social care: community engagement and day trips
15 Apr 2026
3 min read
As we dedicate April to #CelebratingSocialCare, we鈥檝e been gathering good news stories from across the sector. Read our latest update.
Care home sends birthday cards to help young girl break world record
Heanton Nursing Home came together to support a young girl achieve her goal of receiving 8,000 cards for her 8th birthday in an attempt to break the UK record.
The team had read a news piece about the girl’s goal, having spent much of her young life in and out of hospital.
Both team members and residents came together to send birthday cards to the girl.
For many of the residents, writing birthday cards was just as meaningful as it was enjoyable. For people living with dementia, activities like this feel deeply familiar. They draw on life experiences many people have carried with them for years, marking birthdays, choosing kind words and doing something thoughtful for someone else. These are routines many people have carried out throughout their lives, and returning to them can bring a sense of comfort and purpose.
Holding a card, writing a message and signing their name gave them the chance to connect with a familiar role, that of being a friend or a neighbour. It allowed them to take part as people with a lifetime of experiences to share, rather than being defined by a diagnosis.
Home manager Abigail Denford said:
It was one of those moments where everyone just came together naturally. It reminded us how powerful small, familiar acts of kindness can be, not just for the person receiving them, but for everyone taking part too.
Catherine House Care Home visits local farm
A group of residents from Catherine House Care Home recently visited a local farm just as lambing season was underway.
At Shepherd’s Retreat Farm, they enjoyed feeding lambs, walking around the pens and taking in the sounds and movement of the yard.
It was a simple morning out, but one that created conversation, humour and small moments that was enjoyed by all.
Charity launches new initiative to bring residents and community together
Friends of the Elderly’s Malvern-based care homes - Davenham, Perrins House and Bradbury Court – launched a new, free community initiative: Friends Connect.
Jo Bennett, General Manager at Friends of the Elderly Malvern, said:
Taking place on the first Friday of event month, Friends Connect is a free monthly coffee morning for older people and the people who support them, plus our neighbours, members of the local community and the residents to come together, enjoy each other鈥檚 company and make new connections.
Moving forward, Friends Connect will also include supportive events and activities for older people and practical, informative sessions and talks on topics such as Lasting Power of Attorney and dementia care.
The monthly Friends Connect free coffee mornings will also bring opportunities for us to strengthen and build our relationships and community bonds.
We are all looking forward to making new friends and acquaintances, seeing old friends, meeting members of our local community, our neighbours, and catching up with our residents鈥� relatives and loved ones on Friday 6th March at our first Friends Connect coffee morning.
Dawn Jones, Activities Coordinator at Davenham, explained:
Friends Connect will take place in our new and welcoming café located in Davenham, aptly named 鈥極ne Lump, Or Two?鈥�. Guests will be able to enjoy a selection of tasty cakes and warming drinks in a safe and inclusive environment. Attending the free monthly Friends Connect coffee mornings, being able to enjoy conversations with others and relax in a comfortable, safe environment will boost everyone鈥檚 morale and, we hope, become a firm fixture in our guests鈥� diaries.
Find out more about how to this April.
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