Bringing people together for International Friendship Day
International Friendship Day is always a great reason to pause, get together, and celebrate the connections that make life at our homes special.
As we get older, staying connected with others becomes even more important. Having good friends around isn't just nice to have, it keeps us feeling healthy, happy, and connected. Whether it's sharing a joke over lunch, reminiscing about old times, or welcoming a new face, staying social helps boost our mood, keeps our minds active, and gives us all a sense of belonging.
This year, residents, team members, and our local communities found their own unique ways to mark the day, from hosting cultural taster sessions to swapping garden visits and making small gifts. Here is a look at how three of our homes celebrated this year.
A trip around the world at Sandwood Care Home
Residents at Sandwood Care Home spent the morning taking a trip around the world without stepping foot outside. To get started, everyone was handed their own 'Passport to Friendship' to guide them around interactive table displays set up throughout the home. Each table highlighted the varied cultures of our staff and residents, giving everyone a chance to share a piece of where they come from.
The displays were packed with traditional dress, maps, photos of famous figures, and local dishes to sample. As residents moved around the room getting their passports stamped, it gave everyone a chance to sit together and chat about family histories, favourite recipes, and travel stories, discovering new things about the staff and residents they see every day.
It was a brilliant multi-generational effort, too. Family members, local children, and even Abbey the Abbeyfield Bear dropped in for the morning to join the fun, getting their passports stamped and trying the food. Events like this are a great reminder of how much we can learn from one another, bringing everyone in the home that little bit closer together.
New connections at Halcyon House
At Halcyon House, the team wanted to reach out to the wider community. Our activities coordinator got in touch with Woodlands Lodge, a care home down the road, to see if any of their residents fancied popping over for a cup of tea and a catch-up.
To welcome them, our chef Will baked giant chocolate chip cookies and blue-iced cupcakes, served up on fine china. Everyone got on brilliantly, chatting away over tea and cake.
Our guests spent time exploring the garden flowers and sitting by the pond to watch the fish. Before heading off, they kindly left us with a pink Hydrangea and a slate plant stake for the garden, a lovely memory of a great afternoon. We are already looking forward to our next get-together.
Handmade gifts and simple pleasures at Abbeyfield House Bramhall
Over at Abbeyfield House Bramhall, residents made the most of the weather and headed into the garden to pick fresh lavender. Together, they prepped the lavender and made little handmade scented bags to give out as gifts around the house.
It gave everyone a chance to sit down, enjoy a proper chat, and talk about old friends while making new ones. It was a good reminder that a simple gesture and a warm conversation can really make someone's day.
Whether it was sharing family traditions, having a cuppa with new friends, or handing out a handmade present, International Friendship Day was a lovely reminder of what community is all about.
Read stories of friendship in our homes
From a warm welcome on day one to daily laughs with neighbours, read how 100-year-old Barbara found friendship and independence at Sandwood.
After moving to Sussex to be near family, Helen found a manageable home and a warm community at Westall House. Read how making friends and joining in with social activities gave her a fresh start.
From shared mealtimes to card games with neighbours, Marlene shares why moving to Harrowside House gave her a sense of belonging and why she recommends it to anyone looking for company.