Shoreham care home celebrates 15th anniversary by creating its own ‘street market’ for residents

The street market at Elmcroft care home featured a range of stalls, including jewellery, books, cakes, flowers and DVDs, as well as fruit and vegetables, as another way of making life at the home fun and engaging. Elmcroft’s operator, Shaw healthcare, hopes to make the market a monthly fixture in the care home’s calendar.

Residents and staff at Elmcroft also raised more than £300 for the Alzheimer’s Society by completing a three-mile-long ‘memory walk’ and threw an anniversary party to mark the special occasion.

The anniversary party included a buffet lunch with live music and guests who, as well as residents’ families and care home staff, included the Chairman of Adur Council, Cllr Joe Pannell, Kevin Boram, Cabinet Member for Communities & Wellbeing and Russell Brown, CEO for Shaw healthcare.

There were also presentations for long serving employees, with a special mention for support worker, Wendy Clark, who was marking her incredible 40th year, having worked at the old Elmcroft care home in Southwick.

Service manager, Onkemetse Moabankwe, commented: “It’s been wonderful to celebrate our 15th anniversary, raising money for a charity close to our hearts, as well as setting up an exciting new initiative for our residents.

“Like many people in care homes, mobility can be an issue, so introducing the market is another way of enabling residents to participate in meaningful activities, as well as recalling fond memories of them visiting markets when they were younger.”

Elmcroft care home is operated by Shaw healthcare in partnership with West Sussex County Council and provides residential care for up to 60 people including those living with dementia. Shaw is the largest employee-owned care provider in the UK.