On Friday 23 October, the residents of Tandridge Heights Assisted Living Facility in Oxted were treated to a visual feast of pink throughout the day. As well as decorations and balloons, the staff wore pink outfits, and pink food – including cupcakes and marshmallows – was also on offer.
The reason for the vivid colouring was Breast Cancer Now’s Wear it Pink Day, which raises money for life-saving research. Tandridge Heights held a raffle, with prizes being donated from many local businesses.
Despite limitations brought by the pandemic, the staff work tirelessly to provide entertainment for their 66 residents, with over 40 Covid-safe events being held since June.
Activity Co-ordinator Kelly Sherwin said the residents are instrumental in determining what sort of activities are organised.
“We hold regular meetings, where they tell us what they want to do and our events calendar is guided by that.”
Victoria Oladosu has been General Manager since January 2020. She explained that their social programme has two purposes:
“We incorporate activities into Tandridge Heights’ daily life that enrich the lives of our residents and engage our local community. We’ve had to make big changes to ensure everybody’s safety since the coronavirus hit, but we’re still determined to make this the best year possible.”
Their efforts have not gone unrecognised: they are finalists in the Great British Care Awards (South East Region) for the Social Care Covid Hero Award, which recognises those who have gone above and beyond during the pandemic. The winner will be announced in April 2021.
