Waltham Abbey care home bringing the “par-tea” to the community

Tea parties at a Waltham Abbey care home are bringing the community together one brew at a time.

Ashbrook Court Care Home launched the initiative, which brings residents and their loved ones together with community groups, as part of the ‘Make a Difference’ campaign, with the first event seeing a visit from children from High Beech Primary school in Loughton.

The six and seven year olds donned chefs hats and helped to serve residents meals, as well as chatting and doing activities together.

Lifestyle coordinator at Ashbrook Court, Rosemary Fox said: “Our first tea party was a fantastic event for  the residents, their families and friends, the children and us as a team.

“The youngsters were amazing and spread so much joy round the home. They enjoyed it so much that they have asked if they can come back to sing Christmas carols and do some gardening!

“These are exactly the kind of connections we wanted to build by opening the home up to people in our area and it’s amazing to see those forming straight away.”

The 70-bed home on Sewardstone Road, which provides residential, nursing and dementia care, will hold monthly tea parties to broaden their relationship into the community.

The home is also creating a “Friends of Ashbrook Court” group to support charities and food banks in the area and already welcomes community groups with High Beech Church visiting every week for worship.

Care home manager Jonathane Ribeiro said: “We firmly believe in the value of community engagement and the benefits for our residents are plain to see.

“Creating a lively and engaging atmosphere is vital for our residents’ well-being, and these tea parties are a perfect way to achieve that.

“These events not only provide an opportunity for residents to interact with others and engage in meaningful activities but also allow them to stay connected with the community.

“We couldn’t have been happier with how our first tea party went and are excited to see how this continues to grow. I’d encourage everyone to join in the fun.”