Hospice Praises Care Home Residents For ‘Phenomenal’ Fundraising

People living with dementia have found a crafty way to support a New Forest hospice charity.

Residents at Colten Care’s Linden House care home in Lymington sold greeting cards and pictures they made in arts sessions as part of a fundraising drive for Oakhaven Hospice Trust.

They and fellow Colten residents at nearby Court Lodge were enabled to put the items on sale at ‘winter wonderland’ community craft markets held at both homes.

Together the events raised more than £580 for Oakhaven.

Meeting residents from the homes at a celebratory tea party and cheque presentation in Linden House, Oakhaven Community Fundraiser Jill West described the fundraising as ‘phenomenal’.

Jill said: “It’s inspiring, humbling and amazing to think that people living with dementia have been helped to put that to one side, have fun with arts and crafts, and do their bit to support our work in the community. I can’t thank them and Colten Care enough.”

Colten Care actively enables residents in all its 20 care homes to participate in fundraising activities for charities they and staff members nominate.

The policy is designed as a way of helping worthy causes while maintaining residents’ community links.

Linden House Home Manager Lynne Petty said: “Oakhaven does fantastic work for people who have cancer and other life-threatening conditions and we know they rely on donations for a large part of their funding. The winter wonderland events here and at Court Lodge were an ideal way to raise money to help.”

As well as the arts and crafts made by residents, the events featured traders’ stalls and raffles with prizes kindly donated by local businesses.