Bet says Easter's 'a special time' as care home residents don bonnets and hug bunnies

Care home residents across the UK have been celebrating Easter in style by donning colourful Easter bonnets and hugging Easter bunnies.

Residents at Mansfield Care's Belleville Lodge in Edinburgh were among those in the party mood this Easter. They showed off the hats they had made themselves, ate hot cross buns and got busy on an Easter egg hunt outside.

Residents at the home had spent the last week decorating Easter bonnets by making paper flowers and bunnies to decorate their hats.

After their arts and crafts, residents attended an Easter service in the care home’s lounge and went out in search for eggs in the garden on Easter Sunday.

Mardie Esterkin aged 87, who lives at Belleville Lodge, said: “It’s a nice ceremony and celebration to have.

“The place is decorated with bunnies and a Happy Easter sign hanging above the window.

"It’s just nice to celebrate this happy occasion. Easter is a lovely time of year.”

Fellow resident Bet Gordon said she had been looking forward to the Easter Egg hunt in the garden and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

Bet Gordon said: “It is a special time of the year as spring is coming. The home is decorated with lots of daffodils which is lovely.

“I love the afternoon teas with Matron, she always makes them so special.”

Belleville lodge is one of 11 care homes operated by Mansfield Care which runs small care homes across Edinburgh, the Borders and the west of Scotland.

“With the current restrictions we are unable to have a church service so we thought we would have one ourselves on Good Friday and have a few Easter hymns", said Margaret Russell, manager at Belleville Lodge.

“We always make an effort to do something special. The residents love decorating Easter bonnets, it’s a very relaxing and creative activity for them.”

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