Burns Night Bonanza for Care Home Residents

Issued with photo: L-R Activities team members Richard Dempslake, Kathy Burge and James Wilson with piper John Campbell 

Burns Night was marked in style at a specialist dementia care home in Wellington, with a special visit from John Campbell and his bagpipes that had residents tapping their toes and singing along. 

Also known as @BagpiperinSouthWales, John Campbell entertained the residents of Camelot House and Lodge with stirring renditions of the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond and Auld Lang Syne, which could be heard throughout the home. 

Activities co-ordinator, Richard Dempslake, said: “John played brilliantly and all residents who were in the lounges or bedrooms could hear the beautiful sound of the bagpipes. 

“Our day started with residents baking shortbread biscuits and finished with a supper of neeps ‘n’ tatties and a shot of whiskey.  

“Residents took it in turns to read their favourite Robert Burns poems, including A Red Red Rose, My Heart’s In The Highlands and John Anderson My Jo, then danced to Scotland The Brave, with lots of foot-tapping and hand-clapping and some of the more active individuals joining in with a traditional  Scottish dance demonstrated by the activities team.”  

An art therapy session in the afternoon included giving residents photos of themselves dressed as bagpipe players for them to colour in.