Social distancing garden party at care home to celebrate VE Day

Residents of a local care home enjoyed a unique social distancing garden party to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) on 8 May 2020.

Keen to mark the occasion despite the current lockdown and social distancing regulations, residents and staff at The Hamptons, off Heyhouses Lane in Lytham St Annes, decorated the home in Union Flag bunting and vintage WW2 posters and held a 1940s-themed garden party to the sounds of popular wartime songs.

Entertainment was provided by way of a 45 minute virtual performance from 1940s singers The Bluebirds who performed a duo show called “We’ll Meet Again” that featured favourites from Vera Lynn, The Andrews Sisters, George Formby and many more.

The care home also invited residents to share wartime memories from those who helped the wartime effort at home and those who served in the forces and their experiences of being stationed around the world.

The event provided a superb way to commemorate the anniversary while observing the current lockdown restrictions and was a great boost to morale for all involved.  Residents at The Hamptons were able to enjoy the celebrations from their rooms or balconies, or head out into the garden while keeping a safe distance from others for those able to go outside. 

A themed lunch, including Homity Pie, and refreshments were delivered to all residents by room service and everyone involved waved their union flags with pride coming together to observe the two minute silence at 11am and raise a toast to heroes past and present at 3pm.

Activities coordinator at The Hamptons, Lisa MacCormaic, commented: “VE Day and the anniversary are hugely important events for our residents who remember the wartime vividly and are always keen to reminisce and share their stories, so the ‘social distancing’ garden party was the perfect solution given the current situation.”

Resident Janetta Woodhouse crocheted and knitted more than 60 poppies that were hand finished by care home manager Suzanne for a themed display.  She commented: “I remember VE Day so clearly and can’t believe it’s now 75 years ago.  It was great to share our memories with each other and enjoy our favourite music from the era sung so beautifully by The Bluebirds.”

The Hamptons is an expertly designed, state-of-art 76-bed care facility with an exceptional clinical offering, including residential, nursing and dementia care services.  The care home features elegant private bedrooms with en suite wet rooms, stylish communal lounges and dining rooms, plus secure beautifully landscaped gardens.  For further information, or to arrange a viewing, please contact Tracy or Cheryl on 01253 720052 or email [email protected].  Alternatively, please visit www.newcarehomes.com.