Red Nose Day Brings Out Hampshire Care Home Residents’ Artistry

Care home residents found their artistic sides as they painted the faces and arms of staff for Red Nose Day.

Team members at Colten Care’s Woodpeckers home in Brockenhurst, Hampshire, including Home Manager Janie Pearman and Activity Organiser Sara Gould, came under the brush.

After ‘decorating’ both Janie and Sara with gentle watercolour designs of flowers, butterflies and even a Spitfire over the white cliffs of Dover, 91-year-old Stanley Crowe said: “I’ve never painted in my life before but I think it’s all turned out fine.”

The sponsored paint morning was followed by a singalong session in what Janie described as a “wonderful day of fun”. As well as volunteering their faces and arms, staff were invited to dress up in red clothes.

Janie said: “We all had a brilliant time raising money for Comic Relief. Our residents loved painting and our team needs very little encouragement to dress up!”

Other Red Nose Day events at Colten Care homes included a singalong at Avon Reach in Mudeford with visitors from nearby All Saints Church.

Staff, families and friends from the home also organised a sponsored walk from Avon Reach to Linden House care home in Lymington.

There were more singalong sessions at Abbotts Barton and St Catherines View in Winchester and at Kingfishers in New Milton.

Colten Care has a policy of linking its 20 homes’ activities programmes with fundraising for charities chosen by residents and team members.