Dancing shoes at the ready – Sutton Coldfield care home hosts its own carnival

Residents at a Sutton Coldfield care home marched to the beat of their own steel drum for a special celebration. 

Care UK’s Mercia Grange, on Lichfield Road, hosted its very own version of Notting Hill Carnival, complete with masks, facepaint and Caribbean music. 

 

Notting Hill Carnival, Europe’s largest carnival, is an annual celebration of Caribbean culture held in London in late August. In 2021, when the event was cancelled for the second year in a row due to coronavirus restrictions, team members at Mercia Grange decided to get busy decorating the home to bring a taste of the carnival to the home.

In true Notting Hill Carnival style, residents wore colourful outfits they created themselves in preparation for the event, and enjoyed an array of Caribbean foods and drinks, rice and peas. Residents also tried their hand at classic fairground games, including hook-a-duck, tin can alley and bean bag toss

Helen Steele, a resident at Mercia Grange, said: “The sun was shining, and I had the best time! I loved that I could spent time with my granddaughter and enjoyed the magic show.’’

Dawn Covill, Home Manager at Mercia Grange said: “Our carnival-themed event was a great success, and we loved hosting our very own street party in the garden."

“It’s a shame to see Notting Hill Carnival being cancelled for the second year in a row, but this inspired us to host our very own celebration and bring the carnival to Sutton Coldfield."

“Here at Mercia Grange, we’re always looking for fun and exciting ways to get residents up and active, and themed events like the Notting Hill Carnival are a great way of doing just that. On top of inspiring everyone to find out more about different cultures, it’s also a fantastic opportunity to get our dancing shoes on and showcase our best moves."

Mercia Grange is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, nursing, dementia, and short-term respite care. The three-storey care home, which features 67 ensuite bedrooms, has been designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hair salon and café.

To find out more about Mercia Grange, please call Customer Relations Manager, Aleksandra Luczynska, on 0121 314 3196, or email  aleksandra.Luczynska@careuk.com.

For more general information, please visit careuk.com/mercia-grange.