Pumpkin patch brings generations together at Burgess Hill care home

Keymer Hall by Boutique Care Homes, situated in Burgess Hill, West Sussex, turned its garden into a pumpkin patch on Wednesday 28 October for its first Pumpkin Fest, welcoming around 90 visitors from outside the home to spend part of their October half term with residents, their families and the Keymer Hall team.

The idea began with the team wanting to give local children something to do over the half-term break, and residents were part of making it happen well before anyone arrived. Ahead of the day, residents sat down with team members, stuffing and dressing the scarecrows that would later stand among the pumpkins, one of them finished off in a checked shirt and a pink bandana. By the time the first families came through the doors, the garden they walked into already carried the residents' own handiwork, so the day belonged to the people who live at Keymer Hall as much as to the guests who came to enjoy it.

Outside, the pumpkin patch did exactly what a pumpkin patch should. There were oodles of pumpkins, and families wandered between them to pick one to carry home, while children took their turn at apple bobbing on the lawn. Inside, the bistro filled with residents, parents and children working side by side on autumn crafts, with plates of homemade bakes and sweets passed along between them. Local families were not simply visiting residents that day; they were taking part in an autumn event alongside them, sharing tables, conversation and bakes with the people who live at Keymer Hall. "It was lovely seeing so many local families enjoying Pumpkin Fest alongside our residents," said Lisa Rose, Admissions Manager at Keymer Hall.

That ease between generations is what made the day's standout moment possible. As the event went on, one young visitor sat down at the home's piano and began to play, with real confidence, for the residents and guests gathered around the room. Nobody had arranged it and nobody had asked; a child simply felt comfortable enough to sit down and play, and residents and guests became the audience. "A real highlight was when one of our young visitors spontaneously sat down at the piano and played for everyone," Lisa said. "It's moments like these that show how lovely it is to bring different generations together and make our home part of the local community."

For residents, being part of that community matters. Pumpkin Fest connects to Boutique Care Homes' Life Enrichment Programme, built around six principles of Move, Connect, Reflect, Feel, Grow and Contribute, and to the group's value of Belonging: the sense that moving into care should never mean stepping back from the life of your town. At Pumpkin Fest, residents contributed to the day with their scarecrows, shared tables with local families, and spent the day at the heart of something Burgess Hill came to enjoy. For a home that specialises in residential and dementia care, that place in local life is something the team works hard to build and protect.

Home Manager Christine Bunce sees the day as a reflection of what her team works towards all year. "Good care is what we owe every resident. What our team works for every day is everything that comes with it: residents still at the centre of things, still hosting, still part of Burgess Hill. That's what we mean by not just care, but life, thriving."