Care home near Bedford wins two national awards

Sharnbrook House care home has been recognised for the quality of care it provides to its residents with two national care awards.

Competing with 23 other care homes across the country, Sharnbrook House received the Eden Home of the Year Award while the home’s gardener, Gill Elder, won the Garden and Grounds Award.

The judges’ panel was impressed to hear that at last year’s summer party, Sharnbrook House residents were dancing with staff with such enthusiasm that even the singers who performed at the event were astonished.

The home has a programme of activities including regular coffee mornings and discussions about current affairs, exercise class and creative work.

Pat Laing, home manager at Sharnbrook House, said: “Not only does Gill keep the garden in immaculate condition, she has also set up a garden club for residents. The club has planted seeds, made hanging baskets, and grown vegetables.

"They even made a scarecrow and fashioned it on a member of the management team. The residents were very proud of their produce and entered it into the local show where they won several prizes for their green beans, cucumbers and bunches of herbs.”

The Eden Home of the Year Award aims to recognise the home that best demonstrates commitment to the Eden philosophy, which promotes a cooperative approach to care provision in which the resident is the key person.