Sarisbury Green care home residents team up with community group for a DIY project

A care home in Sarisbury Green has joined forces with a local Men’s Sheds group and joined a nationwide campaign.

Residents at Ancasta Grove, on Barnes Lane, 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, the residents teamed up with the Eastleigh Men’s Sheds, a group that focuses on reducing isolation and improving men’s wellbeing, while repairing, repurposing and supporting local projects. 

Together, they set to work to put together a plant allotment, lining the inside and filling it with soil, ready to welcome homegrown green beans next summer. 

Resident Hilda Swain, ages 90, said: “I'm really looking forward to growing my own vegetables again. I used to run a shop in Leicester, so getting back into gardening feels nostalgic”

Audrey Chiduku, Home Manager at Ancasta Grove, said: “The Fixer Uppers project has been a fantastic way to bring residents and the community together to learn new skills and rediscover the satisfaction of DIY.

“The hands-on session with Men’s Sheds gave residents and locals the opportunity to try their hand at a range of practical tasks, including setting up a plant allotment, all while enjoying the camaraderie and sense of achievement that comes from creating something useful.

“We’d like to say a big thank you to the Men’s Sheds team for generously sharing their time, tools, and expertise.”

Launched in the approach to Saturday’s International Repair Day, the initiative aims to revive traditional repair 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.

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

Ancasta Grove has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilling lives. The home provides residential, nursing and specialist dementia care, as well as respite and end-of-life care, and is proud to be able to offer a ‘home for life’ if an individual’s needs change over time.