The Mayor of Bridport paid a visit to St James' Park in Bradpole last week, as the home welcomed visitors and guests from the local community as part of Care Home Open Week celebrations.

The care home, operated by HC-One, was delighted to open its doors to celebrate the special week, with residents, colleagues, friends, family, and the wider community, which included the mayor, Cllr Dave Bolwell.

Care Home Open Week is a national event hosted by Championing Social Care, designed to connect care homes with their local communities.

The week provided care homes with the opportunity to showcase what they have to offer, their fantastic facilities, activities and services, and to remind their neighbours that they are there if they need support. 

Residents and colleagues in HC-One's care homes enjoyed opening their doors again to celebrate the week together with friends, family and people from the local areas they serve.

At St James' Park in Bradpole, they enjoyed meeting the mayor and his wife, Bridget Bolwell, who admired the display of art made by residents and enjoyed greeting them and their families, as well as the dedicated colleagues at the home.

St James' Park's chosen theme for this year's Care Home Open Week was 'Celebrating Together'. Throughout the week, residents, colleagues, families and friends enjoyed a variety of fun-filled activities which were enjoyed by all, including music, arts and crafts and delicious cakes baked by the home's chef Antony.

Visitors also enjoyed learning from colleagues in the home about what a rewarding career in care looks like and finding out about opportunities for community engagement and volunteering roles to support their local care community.

Mihaela Barbulescu, care home manager at St James' Park, said: "Care Home Open Day is an opportunity for care workers across the UK to showcase the best of the sector and for us to share what we are blessed with seeing every day. We'd like to say a thank you to the Mayor and Mrs Bolwell for attending our home and sharing their time with us."

Cllr Bolwell commented: "As Mayor of Bridport I was invited to the open day at St James' Park Care Home, Bradpole. It was an opportunity not only to meet the staff and residents but also see the wonderful artwork that they had created.

"St James' Park is located in a building full of character and set in wonderful gardens. I spent some time talking to Mihaela who is the care home manager and it was plain that she is totally committed to providing the best care possible and I was impressed how this was mirrored by all of the staff and echoed by all of the residents that I met.

"St James' Park is definitely a warm, safe and happy place where the residents are treated with kindness, respect and dignity."