Braemar Lodge Waitress Ildiko Fuves, right, and resident Jackie Jilbert enjoy a dance to live music from folk band Maerefolk

Care home garden party raises £1,500 for Salisbury homeless charity

Jamie JonesJuly 10, 20260 Comment0

A ‘FABULOUS’ summer garden party in the grounds of a Salisbury care home has raised more than £1,500 for a city homelessness charity.

Residents and team members at Colten Care’s Braemar Lodge got the chance to run stalls selling flowers, plants, jewellery, ornaments and other gift items at the family-friendly afternoon in support of charity Alabaré.

A raffle and tombola, with prizes donated by staff, families and Salisbury businesses, also helped to raise much needed cash.

As well as enjoying a cream tea and cocktails, more than 100 guests were serenaded with live music from folk band Maerefolk whose set list included an original song about the Salisbury Giant.

Volunteers at the Alabaré display stand spoke to residents and families about the the charity’s work, and thanked them for raising money which will go directly to help people at risk of or experiencing homelessness, including military veterans.

Braemar Lodge gardener Sarah Rideout and resident Anton Prantl working on the plant stall.

Joined on the day by five veterans who now volunteer, representative Mike Bedford said: “The vets had a great time chatting with everyone. It was a brilliant afternoon. We thank
Braemar Lodge for inviting us along and we really appreciate all that the residents,
families and staff are doing for us.”

After watching the event set-up from her bedroom window overlooking the garden, Braemar Lodge resident Sheila Nell, joined the party. She said: “It was fabulous. Both my friend who came and I loved it.”

Graham Ballard, companionship team leader at the Stratford Road home, said helping ex-service personnel through Alabaré reflects and complements the home’s wider ‘veteran-friendly’ status, adding: “There was a really homely and inclusive feel to the afternoon.

“We received lots of lovely comments about all aspects of the event, not least the garden for how colourful it is looking and for all the planting and preparation that has been
Done.”

Volunteers from Alabaré were among guests attending the Braemar Lodge garden party

The party came just a few weeks after residents and staff at Braemar Lodge began an ongoing Shakespeare-inspired ‘Stratford-to-Stratford’ walking challenge in aid of Alabaré.

The aim is to cover the equivalent distance from Stratford Road to and from Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon, some 169.6 miles, by completing laps around the garden, with participants including walkers and wheelchair users.

The next community event at Braemar Lodge is an open gardens afternoon on Saturday, August 1, from 12pm to 4pm featuring musicians from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra who will perform from 2pm to 3pm. The afternoon is part of this year’s Salisbury Hospice Open Gardens campaign which has Colten Care as headline sponsor.

For more information about upcoming events, visit the Colten Care website.