VFF Celebrations at Eaton Court: A visit from the Mayor and impressive entertainment!

Eaton Court Nursing Home in Grimsby recently celebrated becoming Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) accredited, making them one of only two care homes in the area with this endorsement! To reward themselves for months of hard work, the team threw a truly incredible party and welcomed several special guests from the local community.

So, what does it actually mean for a nursing home to be VFF accredited? In simple terms, the initiative was launched by the Royal British Legion, Royal Star & Garter, and the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance to raise and enhance the standard of care delivered to veterans residing in care homes throughout England.

One of the special guests in attendance of the celebrations was Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Cllr. Goodwin, alongside her Consort, Mr Barry Goodwin.

In her opening speech, not only did the Mayor express her gratitude to the home for recognising the importance of providing this tailored care, but she also touched on the importance of these personalised care plans for veterans. She highlighted that veterans deserve an approach to care which thoughtfully considers the social, emotional, and physical impact their military service may have had on their lives.

Also in attendance were Tracy Frisby (the lead LA officer for Armed Forces Covenant work), WO1 William “Billy” Shepherd (the Naval Regional Engagement Officer for Yorkshire and the Humber) and Rick Anderson (Programme Lead for Older People for NHS Humber & North Yorkshire ICB).

Everyone had an amazing time celebrating together, especially thanks to the impressive live entertainment provided by Miss Sarah Jane – The 1940s Vocalist, who was a singer in the RAF for 15 years and therefore felt very connected to the day.

Between her singing, she connected with residents and team members and reflected on how much she loves what she does thanks to events like these, adding that “there was no other era than the 1940s in which music did more for people!”

One gentleman in particular felt very touched by the performance, as resident Ted commented: “"I'm a veteran myself and so is my son, he was a Paratrooper and served in the Falklands. This afternoon has made me emotional, not sad... just very, very proud."

Home Manager Anne not only expressed her thanks to all of the team on the day, but also felt a personal sense of pride as an ex-RAF wife and ex-Air Cadets member herself.

Anne said: “The team have all worked so hard on getting us here over the past few months and I am so proud of them. A huge thank you to Activities Coordinator Mel, Head Chef Candace and Home Administrator Lisa – Lisa really ensured the process and application went smoothly from start to finish!”

All the singing and dancing meant that everyone had worked up quite an appetite by the end of the entertainment – luckily, the talented kitchen team had been busy preparing the most delicious afternoon tea. Candace even came in on her day off to help with the food preparation and service!

A huge congratulations to the team on this amazing achievement, and for recognising the importance of providing excellent care to our veterans. It’s a reflection on the hard-work of the whole team and the celebrations show just how fabulously the home have integrated into the local community.

Eaton Court Nursing Home offer a variety of care types, including specialist care for under 65s! For more information, take a look here or call the home on 01472 341846.