Our Amazing People – Horse Fair Care Home Team
From hosting incredible events to welcoming volunteers and rewarding staff, Horse Fair Care Home is at the heart of its local community, and its success is down to its amazing team. Led by Home Manager Jennie Manion, the home’s approachable staff pride themselves on being warm and welcoming to all, making the home truly stand out.
Community Involvement
Thanks to its helpful, friendly team, Horse Fair has become celebrated in its local community for hosting fantastic events and supporting great causes. Their Vintage Tea Dance was one such success, where a huge marquee was set up for residents, family and the local community to try out their moves on the dance floor and raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. Their Christmas Pantomime at St Paul’s Church Hall was also a great hit. Residents wrote the entire show for staff to perform and it was an incredible moment for everyone to get involved. One resident, Violet,stole the show as the Wicked Witch.“We pre-recorded her parts so she could perform as her voice was projected. We pimped her wheelchair and all had great fun!” explained Jess Hyson, Well-being Coordinator.
Volunteer Network
The friendly atmosphere is also evident in their thriving volunteer network. Friends of Horse Fair was established in July 2016, with the aim for volunteers to provide an extra pair of hands during activity sessions and spend valuable one-to-one time with residents. Jennie and her team are incredibly supportive of the initiative and ensure that the volunteers are always met with a warm welcome.
Residents and volunteers gain much from the sessions and create lasting friendships together. Shelbie is one such volunteer at the home, who has built up a great friendship with bubbly resident Violet. Both ladies have visual impairment and have bonded after many hours chatting whilst finding mutual support in each other. “We clicked the minute we met,” Violet explained. Violet enjoys sharing stories of her childhood as well as her wisdom as, in Violet’s words, girls like Shelbie “…are the future of this country”. Together they are planning on writing a book about their experiences and the bond that blossomed between the two.
By hosting these events and volunteer programmes, Horse Fair is helping to build stronger and happier communities in Rugeley too. The Friends of Care Homes website has praised the home, saying “Thanks to the familial relationships between volunteers, staff and residents, Horse Fair Care Home truly feels like home, where residents like Violet make it a delight to live in.”
Credit Where It’s Due
Friends and staff of Horse Fair do their best to make the residents’ experience delightful, and Jennie also wanted to credit and reward the staff for their hard work. So, in October 2017, Jennie launched the Horse Fair Heroes Award. Each month staff are nominated by residents, relatives and visiting professionals to receive the award. Each nominee receives a certificate and the winner receives a coveted trophy. Previous winners include Andrew Pointon, Maintenance Person, who also received the Managing Director’s Award in March for his dedication in taking the time to really get to know Horse Fair’s residents.
Horse Fair’s whole team is made up of entirely amazing people who work together to provide the most enjoyable experience for residents, families and visitors and the home certainly embodies the Avery ethos of being welcomed home. It is clear to see that Jennie and her whole team are certainly ‘Horse Fair Heroes’!
Article by Helen Bates, Marketing Executive
