Sway community joins care home residents for ultimate circus experience

Residents, relatives and the local community have rolled up for a weird and wonderful event at a care home in Sway.

Care UK’s Sway Place, on Church Lane, joined forces with Places of Wonder to bring circus performances and workshops to residents.

The fun-filled event saw the home’s garden transformed as professional aerial hoop performers treated the audience to a spectacular show.

Residents and guests were then able to try their hand at a range of activities, including aerial hoop, hula hoop and silk workshops. 

Resident Raymond Olden, aged 88, said: “I really enjoyed the afternoon. It was lovely to see everyone joining in, and I never thought I’d have a go on the aerial hoop!”

With face painting, arts and crafts and community stalls thrown into the mix, there was plenty for guests of all ages to get stuck into.

A tombola was also put on for visitors to try to win a range of prizes, with all proceeds going towards Dementia Support Hampshire & IOW.

The workshop was organised as part of an ongoing partnership, called Together in Motion, between Sway Place and Places of Wonder, which involves regular visits to the home for performances and participatory circus-based workshops. These activities aim to encourage social interaction and physical activity for residents.

Francis Bosompim, Home Manager at Sway Place, said: “We loved welcoming the local community to our very own circus event, which was a roaring success!

“Here at Sway Place, we’re always looking for new and exciting ways to get residents up and active, and themed events like this are a great way of doing just that.

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to the teams here and at Places of Wonder, who worked extremely hard to make this event memorable for everyone.”

Sway Place provides full-time residential and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. The home incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies, with the layout of the building configured into a series of individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge/dining room to facilitate the creation of close-knit communities. Designed to enable residents to lead active and fulfilling lives, while also promoting independence, there are 14 independent-living cottages to suit individuals or couples.