Sutton Coldfield care home flies the rainbow flag for Pride

A Sutton Coldfield care home held a very special celebration to mark Birmingham Pride.

Residents and the team at Care UK’s Bishop Manor, on Jockey Road, decked the home out in rainbow flags and brought out their feather boas to welcome drag artist Aunty Ginger, for an afternoon of glamour, humour and music.

Accompanying the entertainment was a range of activities, including face painting, singing and dancing, which all promoted the message of inclusivity for residents and team members.

Sidney Knight, aged 88, said: “We had a fantastic day celebrating Pride and Aunty Ginger was incredibly vibrant. Some of the jokes were cheeky, but everyone enjoyed them. The last time I saw a drag act was at last year’s Aging with Pride event here at Bishops Manor.

Thomas Bampfield, General manager at Bishops Manor, said: “We had a fantastic time celebrating Pride and flying the rainbow flag.

“Here at Bishops Manor, we’re committed to ensuring the home is a welcoming and supportive place for everyone, which is why we were delighted to be able to show our support for the LGBTQ+ community with a very special celebration.

“Pride month has a wonderful way of bringing people together and we are thrilled everyone enjoyed the celebration; it was great to see everyone get involved laughing and singing. I’d like to say a massive thank you to Aunty Ginger for entertaining us all – she definitely got the party started!”

All team members at Bishops Manor have taken part in equality and diversity training as part of the home’s dedication to creating an open and warm environment. This is supported by Care UK’s LGBTQ+ Network, which provides training and guidance to team members on related issues, as well as developing an open culture in every care home.

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Bishops Manor incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The building has been designed to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.