Eye care home to welcome community for festive fun with a nostalgic twist

A care home in Eye is embracing the yuletide season by opening its doors for a special reminiscence event. 

Hartismere Place, on Castleton Way, is inviting people to revisit traditions from Christmas past by joining residents and team members on Thursday 18^th December at 10am–1pm.

The event is part of Care UK’s ‘Step into Christmas’ initiative, which aims to rekindle festive customs that residents remember from their childhood by reliving them and sharing them with the local community.

On the day, the care home will host a Christmas fair alongside students from Hartismere School, with refreshments, a tombola and items made by residents. All funds raised will go to the Eye Opportunity Group, a support group for families with children aged 0-5 years.

The Year 11 pupils will join residents to sing carols and Christmas songs, while the home will be adorned with retro decorations and paper chains and offer a 1950s-themed retro buffet.

Guests can also play games for prizes, including hook-a-duck, candy cane hoop toss and Scalextric.

To add to the festive fun, on Saturday 13^th December from 1pm–4pm, Hartismere Place will welcome a special visit from Santa himself, with the community invited to come and meet him.

Claire Martin, Home Manager at Hartismere Place, said: “We’re thrilled to be hosting a 1950s-style Christmas fete with Hartismere School that will bring the golden era back to life.

“The residents here have been sharing memories of festive celebrations from their youth, and we can’t wait to recreate that magic with the wider community.

“From vintage decorations to classic carols and treats, it is set to be an event to remember, and we encourage the people of Eye to come along and party with us!”

For further information on Step into Christmas, visit careuk.com/Step-into-Christmas.

Hartismere Place, rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and enable residents to lead active and fulfilling lives. The home provides full-time residential and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care, and the team also operates a day centre that is open to the community throughout the week.