Maritime care home receives sensory garden revamp

A care home for seafarers in Banstead, has welcomed a team of volunteer gardeners to help revamp its grounds.

The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society at Belvedere House invited 12 employees from Legal & General, a local financial services provider for a day of gardening.

The volunteers from Legal & General’s retail savings business in Kingswood, worked in partnership with Business in the Community to refresh the existing garden at the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society.

The home’s sensory garden at Belvedere House is used by 25 tenants, all 68 residents and 95 staff at the home. The garden provides a relaxing and calm environment for residents living with dementia and is part of the home’s selection of musical and reminiscence therapies all designed with the residents in mind.

The charity’s chief executive commander, Brian Boxall-Hunt, said: “It is always a pleasure to welcome local companies and businesses to the Society. The team from Legal & General have done a great job in revitalising the sensory garden, which the residents and staff appreciate tremendously. Their enthusiasm, even through the wet and windy weather, couldn't be denied.”

There are a number of therapies available to help reduce the feeling of isolation that is felt by some people living with dementia, including music as well as reliving forgotten happy memories.

Dawn Watkins, customer relationships manager at Legal & General said: “We had a brilliant day, everyone worked extremely hard and it was a real sense of achievement – it was very different to what we normally do every day but such a privilege to support such a great charity and the amazing work they are doing to help those staying with them.

“Legal & General encourages all employees to volunteer their time, often during work time, to help local communities and support local issues.”

The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society, provides dementia, nursing, residential and respite care for retired seafarers as well as residents of non-seafaring backgrounds within the UK.

The charity, established in 1865 and incorporated under the Royal Charter offers support for ‘seafarers’, including Merchant and Royal Navy, fishermen and port workers, as well as their widows, widowers or any dependants.