A PETERLEE care home received 80 Easter eggs from the Mayor after taking part in a community scarecrow competition.
Bannatyne Lodge Care Home, on Manor Way, was one of dozens of entrants into the competition, organised by Dene House Matters, a Facebook community page.
Everyone who took part, including private households, businesses, public services and care homes, received Easter eggs as a reward.
Bannatyne Lodge’s entry, called “Working From Home”, was rewarded with 80 chocolate treats for each resident and member of staff at the home.
Residents and staff created their scarecrow from old clothes and a manakin before placing it at the front gate so Peterlee Town Mayor Terry Duffy could judge it without entering the home – which is currently closed to non-essential visitors due to the pandemic.
Dawn Minto, activities coordinator at Bannatyne Lodge Care Home, said: “Making the scarecrow helped our residents to really feel part of the community.
“Staff and residents were thrilled the Mayor thought of them when he dropped off the Easter eggs.”
Resident Rose Ann Fenbow said: “I was astonished at the number of Easter eggs. I’ve never seen so many in one place.”
The home’s residents want to continue supporting the community despite practising social isolation to keep themselves and others safe during the pandemic – so they are appealing for donations of teddy bears.
Residents aim to pin short notes on them and place them in the windows so passers-by can see the positive messages during their once daily walks, runs and cycles.
Dawn added: “Anyone who has any old teddy bears they no longer want can send them to the home to be upcycled into messages of positivity residents want to share with the local community.
“You can either drop them off at the home or mail them to Bannatyne Lodge Care Home, Manor Way, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 5SB.”