This year, Care UK homes have been prioritising their outdoor spaces and celebrating biodiversity as part of a new initiative.
As part of the Wildlife Garden project, homes as southerly as Frome in Somerset and as northerly as Milltimber near Aberdeen set to work to make their outdoor environments more appealing to birds and pollinators.
Homes had the choice to create a haven for birds – including the separate option of implementing a feeding station, sew wildflower seeds for insects and pollinators, or make their own bug hotel.
They were then entered into an internal competition, which saw overall winners Tor-Na-Dee take home a wildlife camera so that residents can continue to enjoy the results of their hard work.
Colleagues at Tor-Na-Dee are no strangers to growing a great garden and encouraging sustainability. Being in the rural area of Milltimber, near Aberdeen in Scotland, they have taken full advantage of the greenery surrounding them. Prior to the Wildlife Garden project, Tor-Na-Dee’s garden already boasted plum and apple trees as well as raspberry plants. They even have a pet chicken and, most impressively, three working bee hives which produce their own honey.
For the Wildlife Garden initiative, the home was keen to get as many people involved as possible. Residents helped to research flowers which would attract bees and butterflies and helped colleagues to shop for these at local garden centres, with the green-fingered among them getting to work and helping to sow seeds. Maintenance colleagues and local school children assisted some residents in installing bird boxes and the bug hotel, whilst relatives also got behind the project by donating bird feeders, plants and benches for the memorial garden. In addition, colleagues set up a water butt and upcycled old, unused palettes to build a compost heap.
Maureen Barrett, Home Manager at Tor Na Dee said: “The project has been wonderful for residents, relatives and colleagues alike – it’s been a chance to work outside together and enjoy the special space we have here, led ably by our lead beekeeper and Sustainability Champion, Rathnayake Rathnayake.
“Our gardens are filled with so much colour now, and you can see the combination of shrubs, plants and wildflowers are attracting bees and butterflies. We are hoping to be able to spot some red squirrels on our new camera!”
Four other homes received recognition for their efforts in the project.
Appleby House in Epsom, Surrey, won the battle of the wildflower patches. The home used the initiative to create a Forget-Me-Not allotment, which has become an oasis for gardening activities and relaxation, particularly for residents living with dementia. Thanks to the dedication of colleagues, residents and their relatives, a total 1,200 of their 3,000 planted seeds were wildflowers. This has led to a noticeable increase in bees in the garden.
Invicta Court in Weavering, Kent, received a special gift which helped them win the bird-feeding category. Having worked closely with a local college previously, the home was thrilled when carpentry students donated them a bespoke bird box and bird feeder, which had been handcrafted during their course. The intergenerational work didn’t stop there, and the home partnered with local primary school, Bearsted Primary Academy, to create bird feeders. Children and residents then filled and placed the feeders around the garden together. As a result of this project, residents have spotted a green woodpecker in the garden, and their new bird boxes were home to a successful nest of blue tits.
Another nesting success story came from Silversprings in Thorrington, Essex. The home has acres of grounds, which lent itself to residents supporting with bird feeders and bird boxes throughout the Wildlife Garden project – this is in addition to the flock of ducks that live in their garden. Over in Sevenoaks, Kent, the Weald Heights care home impressed with their bug hotel. As a result, the team saw an increase in ants, woodlice, stag beetles, lady birds, and snails in their garden.
The Wildlife Garden project is one of the first initiatives supported by Care UK’s Sustainability Champions. There of which there are now more than 80 Sustainability Champions across their care homes in England, Scotland and Wales.
Tony Weedon, Strategic Programme Director at Care UK, said: “At Care UK, we recognise that sustainability is not just an option – it’s a necessity. We understand that the global climate emergency isn't just a distant threat, but a challenge that demands action from all of us.
“At Care UK, we're committed to being part of the solution. Our commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040 is already yielding results, with close to 100% of our general waste diverted from landfill last year.
“We're excited about initiatives like our Sustainability Champions programme, which empowers our colleagues to drive change. Beyond environmental efforts, we're investing in our teams through mental health support, apprenticeships, and financial well-being initiatives. This holistic approach ensures we're creating a resilient, responsible organisation that cares for both people and the planet."
Care UK’s goals for environmental and social governance are driven by the existing values of caring, passionate and teamwork. Recent initiatives include a £1 million investment in LED lighting across the estate, a salary sacrifice vehicle scheme for field-based roles and a cycle to work scheme for colleagues with a closer working base, and the continued commitment to divert waste from landfills and the reduction of unnecessary pharmaceutical waste. Care UK aims to be carbon neutral by 2040.
To find out more about Care UK’s environmental and sustainability commitments, visit the webpage: https://www.careuk.com/company/our-approach-to-esg
