Pottery Class Inspires Coppice Lodge Residents During Care Home Open Day

Residents from Coppice Lodge care home in Arnold were inspired by a pottery class during one of the biggest events of the care home calendar last week, Care Home Open Day.  The UK wide initiative has an emphasis on the importance of connecting care home residents with local communities, developing lasting relationships and encouraging intergenerational rapport.

It was a particularly motivating day for Violet Allcock, after the home had arranged for a pottery studio to visit, giving her and other residents the chance to create a ceramic work of art.  Violet, who has lived at Coppice Lodge for nearly a year, feels extremely settled at the home and is reluctant to go on outings and trips.  Other residents enjoyed a recent visit to local pottery studios, Razzle Dazzle in Mapperley, and Violet mentioned how much she would like to have the opportunity to participate.  Home Manager, Samantha Kavanagh, saw Care Home Open Day as the perfect occasion to bring the pottery class to Violet and she thoroughly enjoyed creating a master piece with her friends. 

Residents and guests began the day with a light exercise class, and then recharged their batteries with cupcakes and teas and coffees in the café area.  Along with the pottery class, there was also poetry reading and musical entertainment, and the opportunity for residents, families, friends, staff and neighbours to socialise and create lasting friendships. 

Coppice Lodge join in with the Care Home Open Day celebrations each year and everyone looks forward to the day.  Samantha said, “The theme for this year’s Care Home Open Day was ‘Friendship’, but at Coppice Lodge we feel that we celebrate friendship every day.  It was so lovely to see Violet enjoying the pottery class, and to see everyone getting involved and socialising.  We had a resident who was a little reluctant to join in with the pottery but she ended up having a great time and even said she is going to give me her creation as a gift!  We are like a family at Coppice Lodge so I will certainly treasure it.”