As the national lockdown continues, team members and the people they support at a residential home in Cornwall have decided to recreate some of the activities they have been missing the most from their pre-pandemic lives, in order to get a taste of normality during continually unusual times.
Top of the list of pastimes they missed was going to the cinema, so the Woodlands team created a special cinema experience for the evening. This included hiring a big outdoor screen and constructing gazebos to sit under in case of bad weather.
Luckily it was a lovely, dry night, made all the more enjoyable by an old-fashioned, cinema-style popcorn maker, as well as lots of hot chocolate and marshmallows to complete the experience.
Inspired by the success of their outdoor cinema, the team also created ‘The [home name] Tavern’, where the people being supported have the chance to enjoy a visit to the pub from the comfort of their own home.
A night at The Tavern involves all of the usual activities you would expect, including raffles and pub quizzes. The bar is also fully stocked with tasty snacks like crisps and fizzy drinks for people to enjoy.
Families of the people who are being supported at the home have praised staff for going the extra mile and “doing really well in difficult times”, with one family member writing that their son is “extremely happy and settled: he calls it his home so we couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Cymone, Home Manager said:
“We have all had so much fun putting together and participating in these activities – it’s shown that some imagination and creativity can go a long way – and has really helped the people we support to continue to feel engaged and connected.
“It’s been a challenging year for everyone, and I’m just so proud of the wonderful people we support for the amazing resilience they have demonstrated throughout. Meanwhile, our staff have gone above and beyond to keep providing the very best support, and I feel so lucky to work with such a great team.”
