Sidcup care home remembers VE Day

A care home in Sidcup marked the Victory in Europe Day anniversary with a special event.  

Residents at Care UK’s Smyth Lodge, on Frognal Avenue, created their own bunting and sang along to the music of the day to reminisce and celebrate this historical milestone.

The home was adorned with flags, balloons and homemade bunting for the occasion. Residents were treated to VE Day-themed treats, specially prepared by Smyth Lodge’s chef, including sandwiches and Victoria sponge cake, vintage fizz, and Dandelion and Burdock. The home team also played hits from the 1940s to encourage residents to tap their feet and share memories of the historical day.

Commenting on the day, resident Betty, said: “I really enjoyed the afternoon, singing along to the old war songs and watching the other residents dancing.”

Tracey Cheeseman, Home Manager at Smyth Lodge, said: “VE Day was 77 years ago, yet some residents remember it like it was yesterday. For many residents, this milestone marked the day they knew they would be reunited with their fathers, uncles and brothers.

“We had a wonderful time hosting our special celebration, and the bunting project was a great activity enjoyed by all involved. It was great to hear the heart-warming stories from residents – events like these are a wonderful way to encourage reminiscence, which can be incredibly beneficial for older people, especially those living with dementia. 

“We’d like to say a big thank you to residents for sharing their memories with us; they reminded us just how lucky we were not to have experienced a conflict of this scale in our lifetime.” 

Smyth Lodge has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The state-of-the-art care home, which opened in 2019, provides full-time residential, nursing and specialist dementia care, and features a cinema, hair salon and activities room.

To find out more about Smyth Lodge, contact Customer Relations Manager, Francois Erwee, on 0333 3053 474 or email francois.erwee@careuk.com or visit careuk.com/smyth-lodge.