Celebrating Love and Diversity at Our Homes

The air was buzzing with excitement as we joined the world in celebrating Pride Month 2024. At Orchard, we believe in embracing diversity, fostering inclusion, and, most importantly, spreading love and joy among our people. We headed over to Nesfield Lodge Care Home in Leeds and Green Lodge Care Home in Billingham to join in on their Pride celebrations, and spoiler: they were a hoot!

Green Lodge kicked off the celebrations with a special visit from  Anarchy Queen and Veronica Venom! “Lots of our people are young at heart and love nothing more than having fun and dressing up when singers come in. I thought it would be really good to try and find some drag artists to visit us for something a bit different while celebrating Pride Month.” Said Nicola, Activities Coordinator, who organised this lively do.

The festivities kicked off with a lively sing-along and dancing to beloved disco and dance classics from the 80s and 90s. Val, Margaret, Eileen and Elizabeth were all up straightaway to dance at the front when ABBA songs came onto the playlist!

Margaret, who also lives at Green Lodge commented on the duo’s beautiful hair and joked about asking the Green Lodge hairdresser to do hers like that next time!

Ann, said she loved Anarchy Queen's dress and the way it reflected onto her room wall like a disco ball when the light shone on it.

There was, of course, plenty of time to snap some photos with the dazzling duo. To ensure everyone could join in the fun, they even made special visits to those who couldn't attend the main celebration.

Nicola concluded: “I’m really happy with how well it went and seeing the smiles on everyone's faces made all the hard work worth it. It was a memorable day filled with joy, laughter, and a wonderful sense of community, perfectly capturing the spirit of Pride Month’’.

Who says you need to go outside to enjoy a pride parade? Our people and colleagues took part in our very own parade right here at Nesfield Lodge Care Home. Decked out in colourful attire, with face paint and glitter galore, dancing through corridors and spreading cheer.

But wait, there's more! The home was buzzing with excitement as a DJ spun all the greatest hits from the disco era, setting the perfect groove for the day. For those feeling extra bold, a karaoke machine was ready and waiting for impromptu performances. And to top it all off, an ice cream van parked outside, offering delicious treats for everyone to enjoy.

Sarah Golden-Hill, Home Manager, shared her delight: “The home was bright with colour, and the fun and laughter were contagious. Everyone had an amazing afternoon, and we partied well into the evening.”

Some of our lovely people who live at Nesfield shared some wise words:

Louis Baurley said “This is great, and we should love everyone daily for who they are. The world would be a better place.” Valerie Hutchings added, “This has been a wonderfully uplifting day; this is really what life should be all about – a celebration of everybody.”

Nesfield would like to thank the Rainbow Pub in Wakefield for their generous donations, Nanna’s Flowers for the beautiful Pride wreath and flowers, and S&T Entertainment for providing fantastic music and karaoke.

The day was a true celebration of love and unity.