Residents Celebrate Opening Of Cafe In Memory Of Staff With Hallowe’en Party

Residents at a Derbyshire care home have marked the re-opening of their coffee bar in honour of a former colleague with a Hallowe’en party.

The coffee bar at MHA Maple Leaf House in Kirk Close, Ripley, has been named Ruth’s Wonderland Cafe after Ruth Spreadbury, a domestic assistant who sadly passed away as a result of skin cancer two years ago. She had worked at the home for three years.

The area is used for varying activities at the home, which cares for older people living with dementia, and a Hallowe’en party was the first big event in the area since it was re-opened by Ruth’s family.

Sheila Fowkes, activity co-ordinator at the home said: “Ruth was simply the most amazing, smiling and lovable person. Even when she was really ill, she would say she couldn’t wait to go back to work.

“We wanted to do something to remember Ruth so came up with the idea of naming the coffee bar area after her following some work to make the area more attractive for residents.”

A spokesperson for Ruth’s family said: “Our thoughts are that it is absolutely wonderful that the work colleagues thought so much of Ruth that you all celebrated her birthday and memory in such a wonderful way.

“She loved working with everyone there and thought the world of her colleagues and the lovely residents.

“MHA were incredibly supportive of her, just the thought of returning to work kept her going in her last few months.

“We can see why the home is so very caring towards everyone. She’d have thought the great time you all had when you launched the new cafe area would have been the best party she ever went to.”