Newcastle care home residents and pupils join forces for Harvest Festival fun

A care home in Newcastle has joined forces with local nursery to celebrate Harvest Festival.  

On Wednesday 2^nd October, from 2.30pm-4pm, residents at Care UK’s  Ponteland Manor, on Thornhill Road, is inviting the community and Little Tinklers nursery children for an a-maize-ing afternoon to celebrate the annual festival.  

Guests can enjoy an afternoon learning about the origins of the festival, what it means for today’s society, and why this long-standing tradition should not be forgotten. On the day, there will be a Tynedale Hospice charity stall, selling a mixture of goodies, to fundraise for their hospice, and Head Chef, Gary Hendrie, will be preparing an afternoon tea.

To celebrate this year’s Harvest Festival, residents and team members are also encouraging the local community to donate their extra, unused or unwanted non-perishable food items to the Newcastle Foodbank West End. The drop-off-point is in the care home’s entrance is now open.

Each year, Harvest Festival celebrates the time when crops have been gathered from fields and people can reflect and show gratitude for the food that they have. It dates back to when people relied on local crops for food and famers would give thanks for a good harvest.

Paula Routledge, Home Manager at Ponteland Manor, said: “We’re all looking forward to welcoming the community and Little Tinklers to Ponteland Manor to celebrate the annual Harvest Festival  tradition and explore its importance today. 

“Harvest Festival is a day in the calendar where we can reflect and show gratitude for the food that we have, while serving as an opportunity to connect with others, regardless of age or background, and celebrate the cultural diversity which helps make Newcastle a great place to call home.  

“Everyone is looking forward to an a-maize-ing day!”

Ponteland Manor is designed to enable residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the home has plenty of space - both indoors and out - for relaxation and recreation. The home has a comprehensive activity programme, offering a mix of themed events, group activities and days out.