Cheltenham care home receives flying visit from birds of prey

Residents at Care UK’s Sandfields care home in Cheltenham, recently enjoyed a visit from some feathered friends whilst hosting an event in association with Walks with Hawks.

Earlier this year, the care home participated in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch so residents already had an interest in birds. During the day, residents got the chance to enjoy first-hand the art of falconry and meet and handle some different hawks, owls and falcons.

The manager of Sandfields, Ruth Baggs said: “Many residents here have an active interest in wildlife and nature and, as everyone enjoyed getting involved in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch earlier this year, we took the decision to invite Walks with Hawks to bring some of their magnificent birds along to Sandfields.”

Walks with Hawks are located in the Cotswolds and offer education visits, birds of prey experiences and owl encounters, giving people the opportunity to listen to talks about the importance of bird conservation and protecting birds of prey and their habitats.

Ms Baggs added: “The visit was a real success and you could see from the residents’ reactions just how engaged and fascinated they were by the chance to get so close to such impressive birds of prey. It was fantastic to see the smiles on everyone’s faces.

“The session also fitted really well with our activity based care approach, which is all about ensuring residents can continue enjoying the hobbies they have always loved, as well as giving people the opportunity to discover new talents and interests.”

Care UK has experience in providing a range of care services and manages more than 100 care homes throughout the UK. Care at Sandfields is tailored around each resident’s needs, hobbies, personal interests, likes and dislikes ensuring that there is something for everyone.