A gardening project has brought the generations together at Park Lane care home in Congleton

A gardening project has brought the generations together at Park Lane care home in Congleton.   Children from nearby Old Hall Day Nursery visited the home to help residents and staff create colourful displays for a national competition. Park Lane is competing against nearly 30 other homes in the Kingsley Healthcare Group to win the Kingsley in Bloom contest. One of the themes set by judges for this year’s event is “Besides the Seaside” and the youngsters, encouraged by residents, potted plants in old seaside buckets.  

Julie Dufton, the nursery’s deputy manager, said: “It was really nice. They loved potting the plants and engaging with residents and staff, and they enjoyed looking around and playing in the garden. “It is great for the children to get out into the community and great for the older people as well.” She said from September they were planning to bring children along to Park Lane on a weekly basis.   Home manager Jayne O’Sullivan said: “The residents loved watching what the children were doing; they are really good children and we will all be delighted to see them more often after the summer holidays.”  

Kingsley co-founder Sumi Thayan will be among the judges visiting homes across the country at the beginning of next month to decide on a winner and two runners-up.