Aberdeen care home residents team up with girl guides for DIY project

A care home in Aberdeen has joined forces with local children in the run-up to International Repair Day.

Residents at Tor-Na-Dee, on North Deeside Road in Milltimber, have been rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck into some hands-on DIY – all in the name of sharing skills with the next generation.

As part of Care UK’s ‘Fixer Uppers’ programme, residents teamed up with 1st Milltimber Guides to fix old furniture and bring a colourful touch to the care home’s communal spaces. Together, they sanded, painted and restored items such as chairs and tables. 

Betty Will, 74, said: “It was nice to see the young ones, and to be doing something productive. I like to keep busy.”

Launched on the approach to Saturday’s International Repair Day, the nationwide initiative aims to revive traditional skills – such as fixing furniture, mending clothes and tackling small maintenance jobs – and celebrate the invaluable knowledge older generations can pass on while promoting sustainability.

Susan Ashton, Home Manager at Tor-Na-Dee, said: “Residents have honed their DIY skills over a lifetime, and the Fixer Uppers project has been a fantastic way for them to connect with young people and share practical knowledge in a meaningful way.

“It was wonderful to see everyone fully engaged and residents swapping stories, learning from one another and genuinely enjoying the process.

“We’d like to thank 1st Milltimber Guides for coming to the home to restore old furniture and bring some colour to our communal areas. It was a brilliant morning and we look forward to many more visits in the future.”

To find out more about Fixer Uppers, please visit careuk.com/Fixer-Uppers

Tor-Na-Dee provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. Designed to enable residents to lead enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the care home has its very own cinema room, hair and beauty salon and gardens, and there is plenty of space both indoors and out for relaxation and recreation.