• Sat. Dec 7th, 2024

North East Connected

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OVER 100 family members and friends joined residents and staff to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Pelton Grange Care Home.

An 80s themed party was thrown at the home, on Front Street, Pelton, to reflect the decade the home opened.

There was a BBQ and live entertainment as well as a bouncy castle and face painting for visiting children.

Among those at the party were service users and staff from charity GOALs (Go Out and Live), a day care and out of hours service for people with learning disabilities.

There were also members of the Hawthorn Project, a Durham County Council funded initiative to tackle social isolation among the elderly, alongside a councilor from the Pelton Parish Council.

Brenda Clifford, a resident at Pelton Grange Care Home, said: “It’s been a brilliant afternoon. I’ve had a burger from the BBQ, which was delicious. I toasted Pelton Grange’s birthday with a glass of bubbly too and a piece of birthday cake.”

Pelton Grange Care Home was purpose built on the site of the town’s old vicarage and is still encircled by the original wall of the property.

After opening in August 1989, the home has since been owned by three care home companies, before joining the Hill Care Group in May 2017.

Aiming to provide much needed nursing care and latterly residential and dementia care, the opening of the home brought many jobs to the town, with several staff members who joined during its first few years of operation still working.

Administrator Margaret Flower is the only member of staff who has been at the home since the beginning – starting her career in 1989.

She said: “I can’t imagine working anywhere else. The residents at Pelton Grange are part of my life.”

Other long-standing staff members include cook Linda Chambers, who has spent 25 years at the home, care assistant Jason Hewitson, with 28 years, and senior carer Kathy Coughlan, with 27 years.

Home manager Christopher Hogan-Hind said: “The home is an intrinsic part of the local community and the residents are often seen at the local community centre taking part in creative activities.

“One wing of the home is dedicated to the artworks of local painter George Levitt and we have been fundraising to help the Parish Council erect a war memorial at the local church.

“We also receive a lot of community support and this showed with an amazing turnout for the home’s 30th birthday party. More than 100 members of the community came along to help us celebrate and everyone had a wonderful time.

“Family members couldn’t believe the staff had put the whole event together. They told us it’s been a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and it’s great to see their relatives having a wonderful time.

“A massive thank you to everyone who came along and to the staff for putting on such an amazing party.”