Mayor gets a real buzz when she visits West Byfleet care home

The local mayor was thrilled to learn firsthand how Charrington Manor Care Home engages residents living with dementia.

During her visit, Cllr Boote, who is a West Byfleet resident, got a chance to tour the Hobbs Close home and meet residents.

She said: “‘I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Charrington Manor care home and was particularly impressed with how friendly and professional the staff all were.

“I had a super time talking to so many of the residents, all of whom seemed very happy with their home and with all the fantastic services and events made available to them.

“I thought that the gardens were stunning, and it was nice to see so many residents being involved with creating these via the on-site gardening club. I even joked that I’d like to move to Charrington Manor one day as it’s so good!”

During her visit, Cllr Boote, who has lived in West Byfleet for the last 25 years, was particularly impressed with how the team supports those living with dementia.

She learnt how the team recreated a family wedding in Italy for one of their residents, allowing her to feel she was part of the big day.

Home Manager Simona Varga-Pali said: “We helped the resident join virtually and went the extra mile by decorating the cinema room as a wedding venue and matching the wedding menu, even the cake, to recreate the experience.

“It was our creative way to make sure a resident didn’t miss out on an important family moment.”

The mayor, who was born and raised in the Cheshire and Warwickshire countryside, loves the outdoors and was also delighted to stroll around the beautiful garden at Charrington Manor.

However, she was particularly thrilled to meet Resident Representative Jean Gable during the visit and even asked Jean if she could help a local resident with a knitting project.

Jean is an avid knitter and creates baby hats and blankets for a local neonatal hospital ward, and said she would love to help out.

The 91-year-old and former Women’s Institute secretary said: “It was wonderful to sit down with the mayor and to talk about what makes a community tick, especially talking about the Women’s Institute.

“Our community is very important to us at Charrington Manor, and knitting is a way of reaching out and supporting others.

“I do hope the mayor visits again, although I know she is very busy.”

Simona added: “It was a warm, uplifting afternoon, and we’re grateful for the mayor’s kind words and time.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming her back for our garden party in September, which will be a great chance to showcase even more of what makes Charrington so special.”