A care home in Solihull has joined forces with a local nursery in the run-up to International Repair Day.
Residents at Blossomfield Grange, on Worcester Way off Dog Kennel Lane in Shirley Heath, have been rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck into some hands-on DIY – all in the name of sharing skills with the next generation. As part of Care UK’s ‘Fixer Uppers’ programme, residents worked with children from Mad Hatters Day Nursery, who got their creative juices flowing during the intergenerational activity.
Together, they painted and decorated in vibrant colours bird boxes previously handcrafted by the residents. With the help of the home’s maintenance manager, they then installed them in the garden and outdoor spaces, creating new areas for birds to enjoy.
Clifford Glanville said: ‘’It was lovely to share my skills and knowledge with the children as we worked together to create and decorate the bird boxes.
“They loved being there while they were placed on the trees for the birds, ready for winter.’’ Launched on the approach to 18 October’s International Repair Day, the initiative aims to revive traditional repair skills – such as fixing furniture, mending clothes and tackling small maintenance jobs – and celebrate the invaluable knowledge older generations can pass on while promoting sustainability.
Jag Singh, General Manager at Blossomfield Grange, said: “Residents have honed their DIY skills over a lifetime, and the Fixer Uppers project has been a fantastic way for them to connect with young children and share practical knowledge in a meaningful way.
“It was wonderful to see everyone fully engaged and residents swapping stories, learning from one another and genuinely enjoying the process. We’d like to thank Mad Hatters Nursery for coming to the home to take part in the decorating activity. It was a brilliant afternoon and we look forward to many more visits in the future.”
The bird box crafting session was overseen by Blossomfield Grange’s dedicated sustainability champion as part of Care UK’s bid to embed environmentally conscious practices across all homes. Sustainability champions work closely with the Care UK ESG advisory committee to identify opportunities for greener ways of working, from reducing waste to encouraging biodiversity in care home gardens.
Blossomfield Grange provides high-quality residential, dementia and respite care. Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, the home incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies.
The building has been configured into a series of neighbourhoods to facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.
