A Care Home in St Helens recently hosted their very own music festival for those living at the Home.
Activities Staff, Laura Coghlan-Adam and Lucy Peters from Stocks Hall Care Home thought it would be a wonderful idea for the Home to host their very own music festival in the grounds of the St Helens Care Home.
Decorating the Home’s gardens and Activity Suite with all camping and festival decorations – the staff wanted to bring a ‘unique music festival experience’ to those living at the Home.
Stocks Hall St Helens Care Home has four specialist units, comprising of three Physical Disability Units, a Residential Unit and a Dementia Unit, for those who have developed a form of Dementia under the age of 65.
Activities Staff, Laura says “The UK is known for an exceptionally great festival scene, and we thought it would be a wonderful idea to capture and re-create our own version of a music festival and bring it to the Home for all to enjoy.”
Tents were set up in the garden with the BBQ and Burger Bar. Balloons, butterfly hanging decorations, pastel coloured camping candles, camping mats, windmills, rainbow ribbons, inflatables and garden toys were just some of items to set the scene.
During the build up to The Stocks Hall St Helen’s Home’s Music Festival, sensory bottles had been made to be enjoyed during the music set.
The St Helen’s Home, thought it would be a really amazing idea to also create their very, ‘PRIDE’ flag. Activities Staff, Laura says “Our Pride flag is about being proud of who we are and what we achieve together at Stocks Hall.” Choosing to use blue fabric, (representing dignity colours), and flowered fabric (because it is hippy looking and groovy) – the materials were chosen, fitting in nicely with the musical festival theme. Laura continues, “Our flag represents people living at the Home, our families and staff, united together.”
Looking amazing the whole environment brought smiles to everyone’s faces as soon as they stepped out into the garden. Everything was good to go….looking fantastic, sun shining and then…as so often happens at such festivals, it rained!
Laura said “It did not put a dampener on our day, everyone’s mood was positive and the atmosphere was electric. Everyone gave 110% in dressing up for the occasion with their bandanas, costumes and face painting. Wellington boots were certainly a welcomed and much needed addition to the event.”
Enjoying BBQ chicken, hot dogs, sausages and pasta made by the Home’s kitchen and washed down with non-alcoholic beer, ensured everyone really felt the ‘festival vibe’.
The Home had organised a special band to come and play who interacted with everyone at the festival. Billy and Andy from, ‘Billy and Andy’s Musical School’ were described as being ‘just incredible’. People living at the Home played music through bananasS and plants! Activities Staff, Lucy Peters says “I don’t know how they managed to do it but it was amazing…each person who wanted to play an instrument did so with help from Billy & Andy’s Music School. It was just brilliant from the minute they started and really interesting, leaving everyone wondering, how did they do that?”
Homemade maraca shaking, in tune with Billy & Andy’s Music School playing their songs was also a great favourite activity of the music festival.
Billy & Andy’s Music School recorded those living at the Home making music and different sounds. With an eventual song being recorded, made from the all the collective sounds.
Described as ‘A brilliant day’ had by all who attended.
Laura Coghlan-Adam, Activities, concludes “Everyone living at the Home really felt as though they were at a music festival, it was just a great atmosphere throughout. We hope the large array of photographs captured, does justice to the truly wonderful experience we all had.”
Stocks Hall, St Helens Home, would like to thank everyone for their hard work and dedication in helping this day be such a great success. They are so grateful to all who contributed in making this truly a day to remember.
