Pedal to the metal – two local care homes unite to raise funds for charity while celebrating 40 years of care

Residents and team members at two care homes in Dorset have been celebrating 40 years of excellence in the care sector by raising money for local charities. 

Care UK’s Ferndown Manor, in Ferndown, and The Potteries, in Poole, have been celebrating the organisation’s milestone by hosting charity fundraisers. Ferndown Manor chose to raise money for the Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity and The Potteries has raised money for Tyler’s Friends, a local charity for bereaved parents. 

 

In honour of its milestone anniversary Care UK is aiming to raise £40,000 collectively to give back to local communities, charities and organisations across the UK. 

The team at Ferndown Manor set up a bike in the home’s reception and encouraged residents, families and team members to put pedal to the metal in the aim of reaching their 70-mile target. The goal was to cycle virtually the distance of the Isle of Wight.

The team spent the whole of September completing the challenge for the Roald Dahl Marvellous Children’s Charity, raising £166.25 in the process.  

While at The Potteries, two lifestyle team members, Jo and Kerry, took on a 24-hour challenge. The pair were handcuffed together for one whole day and hosted activities and entertainment for the residents throughout the day and night. 

Residents cheered them on through their challenge which has so far have raised £134 for Tyler’s Friends. The care home also organised a Mad Hatter’s tea party as part of the fundraising efforts, raising £311.50 for University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity. 

Sara Muslin, Home Manager at Ferndown Manor, said: “We had a wonderful time celebrating Care UK’s 40^th Anniversary.

“Here at Ferndown Manor, we’re incredibly enthusiastic about creating strong links with our local community and supporting where we can. We’re also passionate about enabling residents to live active and fulfilling lives which is why we thought a pedal challenge was the perfect way to raise funds for Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity.  

“Thank you to everyone who helped us reach our target of 70 miles – we had wheely good time!” 

Zita Turner, Home Manager at The Potteries, added: “The lifestyle team at The Potteries is incredibly creative and imaginative. They are constantly looking at new ways to support residents to live happy, active and fulfilling lives.

“Their challenge was a testament of their dedication to the residents, they stayed up all day and night providing fun activities and keeping residents entertained, all while raising money for a really important charity. We also had such fun at the Mad Hatter’s tea party’

“I would like to say a huge thank you for Jo and Kerry for their hilarious fundraiser challenge – we are cuffed with how much money we have raised so far!”

As part of the wider fundraising activities, CEO of Care UK, Andrew Knight, along with Jacqui White, Marketing Director, and Tony Weedon, Strategic Programme Director, also undertook a 240-mile bike ride. Taking them a total of five days, the journey started at Care UK’s oldest care home in Clacton-on-Sea and finished at its newest in Shrewsbury.  

The Potteries and Ferndown Manor have been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives in a luxury environment. The homes provide full-time residential care, nursing care, dementia care and respite care and also boasts plenty of space – both indoors and out, for relaxation and recreation.

To find out more about these Care UK homes, contact Customer Relations Manager at Ferndown Manor, Robin Hill on robin.hill@careuk.com or call 01202 070799, or Customer Relations Manager at The Potteries, Caroline Hearne, on caroline.hearne@careuk.com or call 01202 069835.