Ashford care home invites local community to new friendship café

Home news

Feb 25, 2020

A care home in Ashford is welcoming the local community into its café so that they can build friendships with the people on their doorstep.    

Taking place on Wednesday 4th March, from 2pm-4pm, and then on the first Wednesday of each month, the community is invited to come along to Montfort Manor, on Kennington Road, to take part in its free Friendship Café initiative.

Aiming to combat loneliness and isolation, the café is open to those who live alone or just want some companionship. Guests can enjoy a chat over coffee and cake with likeminded people and make new friends in the community.

Older people are especially prone to loneliness and social isolation, with an estimated two million people in England over the age of 75 living alone, and more than one million saying they regularly go for over a month without speaking to anyone*.

Cheryl Shorter, home manager at Montfort Manor, said: “Here at Care UK, our ethos is to create fulfilling lives, and this also extends beyond residents to those in the community. Being able to offer a welcoming environment where people who might feel lonely can come and spend time with others fits perfectly with our vision.  

“Montfort Manor is very much part of the local community, so this also gives residents who have lived in and around Ashford all their lives an opportunity to stay connected to the area.

“We’re among several care homes launching Friendship Cafés across the region, and we’re delighted to play our part in reducing loneliness and isolation for the people of Ashford. During our first friendship café, we will also be raising money for Dementia UK through its Time For A Cuppa initiative.”

Montfort Manor is a purpose-built care home which has been designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The home provides full-time residential, nursing and specialist dementia care for older people in Ashford, and incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities, including its own cinema, hairdressing salon and café.

For more information, please email customer relations manager, Michael Kenny, at michael.kenny@careuk.com or call 01233 884 619

For more general information, please visit careuk.com/montfort-manor