Norfolk care home gets a Christmas visit from 'deer friends'

Santa’s reindeer took the time out of their busy schedule to visit a Norfolk care home and spread festive cheer among the older residents and tenants.

Comet and Blitzen brought smiles and excitement to Bowthorpe Care Village, where residents from Mayflower Court and tenants from The Meadows were able to pet and feed the reindeer under guidance from the team at Reedham Reindeer Hire.

The reindeer, who are both seven-years-old, were safely cared for in a large pen on the patio area outside the café hub at the care village.

Karma Wensley, manager of Mayflower Court, the care home at the village which cares for up to 80 people living with dementia said how well the visit had gone.

“It was lovely to see so many of our residents getting to see the reindeer,” she said. “We had a big crowd of people wanting to get close to them and others who were happy to watch them from a distance too.

“Christmas is a very special time for us and brings back lots of lovely memories to our residents and tenants.”

The Bowthorpe Care Village comprises of The Meadows – Saffron Housing Trust’s 92 Housing with Care apartments, and NorseCare’s Mayflower Court – an 80-bed specialist care home for people living with dementia.

NorseCare are Norfolk’s largest care home provider, supporting over 1,400 people, including those living with dementia. The care homes provide care and support within a homely residential setting.

They also manage Housing with Care schemes, providing people with care and support when needed, along with the independence of living in their own flat under a tenancy agreement with a housing provider.

The group recently received a 'Care Home Group of the Year' award for their person-centred care, effectiveness at promoting wellbeing and social interaction, and for providing a “homely” feel for residents.

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