Bats, balls and hand-coloured banners took over the outside area at Frome Nursing Home in Somerset, as two households, Woodlands and Parsonage, went head-to-head in a friendly game of cricket.
Residents, fondly referred to as family members, joined in from the sidelines, and Woodlands finished the day as the winning team!
In the days before the match, some family members created banners to wave for their households, creating some friendly competition. When match day arrived, people gathered under a gazebo decorated with bunting and balloons to watch, cheer and keep a close eye on the score. Others who wanted to get in on the action joined the fielding and also helped hand out medals at the end.
Several team members are keen cricket players, though the wind had other ideas, doing its best to bowl everyone a curveball. A few balls landed in the greenery beyond Woodlands, prompting a search party before play could continue. The competition carried on undeterred until Woodlands claimed the win and its players put on their medals.
“It was so nice to get everyone outside. They were cheering us on,” said Disha, a team member at Frome Nursing Home.
The afternoon was about more than the result. Family members and team members played, cheered and celebrated together, just as they would at any family gathering. That is life at Frome Nursing Home: a shared home where everyone has a part to play, whether they are holding a bat, waving a banner or searching the greenery for the ball.
To arrange a visit or find out more see our Activities in Care