Scouts join Thorrington care home for journey into Christmas past

Old festive traditions have come to life at a care home in Thorrington, where residents welcomed a local Scout group for a day of seasonal activities. 

Silversprings, on Tenpenny Hill, joined forces with young visitors from Brightlingsea Beaver Scouts to revisit customs from Christmases past.

The children performed a joyful carol service, featuring songs such as Jingle Bells, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

In addition, the group also read Christmas poems and books with the residents.

Resident, Gillian Godwin, 88, said: “It was lovely to have the Beaver Scouts in to the home to sing. I used to sing carols as a child and later in life played the piano alongside singing. One of the most prominent memories for me was to hang my pillowcase or stocking up - I never got a lump of coal though!'

The event was part of Care UK’s ‘Step into Christmas’ initiative, which aims to revive residents’ festive traditions by encouraging them to share memories with the local community and younger generation.

By blending storytelling, crafts and carol singing, the sessions create a space for meaningful intergenerational connection. 

Joanne Rix, Home Manager at Silversprings, said: “Christmas is such a special time of year, and this event allowed us to honour those memories from residents’ childhoods of carol singing and festive readings.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to bring different generations together for a day of festive cheer. It was truly heartwarming to watch residents reminisce and share stories from Christmases gone by. 

We’d like to extend a huge thank you to Brightlingsea Beaver Scouts for joining us and making the day so joyous for all involved! Their presence brought an extra sparkle to the day.”

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

Silversprings is a state-of-the-art care home designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to lead active and fulfilled lives. It provides residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care, and offers a range of facilities including its very own café, hair and beauty salon and gardens.