Member Article

Miss Chorley opens festive Christmas market

A specialist care home in Chorley celebrated the arrival of the festive season by hosting a Christmas market, which was opened by Miss Chorley 2017.

The indoor market was held in Market Square, The Lodge, a specialist dementia care home within the award-winning Buckshaw Retirement Village. Becky Lizz, the reigning Miss Chorley opened the event, which was open to the public for one day only.

The market provided the perfect opportunity for the community to support local businesses who set up stalls in Market Square, selling Christmas gifts, trinkets, perfumes, cakes, homemade jam, handmade crafts and more.

Members of the public were also encouraged to have a look around the dementia-friendly facilities in Market Square at The Lodge, which includes a pet shop, pub, café, hair and beauty salon, and a music relaxation lounge as well as a 20-seater cinema which showed a Christmas classic, Miracle on 34th Street. Children also had the opportunity to join in with the festivities, and see Santa in the Grotto.

Chris Durnan, market square coordinator at The Lodge said: “The Christmas market was a great event, which was enjoyed by members of the public and our residents. Miss Chorley was a fantastic host for the event.

“Holding the market open day was also a great opportunity for members of the public to support local businesses, but also to have a look around the Market Square facilities, which provide a huge benefit to our residents. The facilities we have mean that to a certain extent, residents can keep their independence and do things that they enjoy, such as visiting the pub, making a hair appointment or going to the cinema, and of course attending our market days.

“Activities and events such as the market day are really important to our residents. They are always person-centred and designed to meet their needs, which encourages them to get involved in the activities, which promote the importance of their physical and mental wellbeing.

Becky Lizz, Miss Chorley 2017 winner, said: “I was delighted to open the Christmas market within The Lodge at Buckshaw Retirement Village, it was great to see members of the community and residents enjoying themselves and getting in to the festive spirit.

“It was good to see so many people looking around the market stalls and supporting local businesses, and looking at the range of facilities available to residents within The Lodge. I think it’s a brilliant concept, and great that members of the public were able to see the facilities which allow the residents to keep their independence, and remain involved in a community.”

Buckshaw is part of The Hica Group, a not for profit organisation, which operates a portfolio of 17 residential care homes, five of which are for people with a learning disability, along with two retirement villages. The company also runs a care at home service providing approximately 11,500 hours of support and care from four regional offices in the North of England.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Buckshaw Retirement Village .