Residents, families and staff came together for a relaxed and cheerful Easter Party at Dovestone Gardens, helped along by the warmest sunshine we’ve seen this year.
The event was delivered in conjunction with Participation Works, who supported the intergenerational activities throughout the afternoon. From the moment the doors opened, the atmosphere was light and friendly, with plenty of laughter drifting through the garden and community spaces.
The afternoon started with Easter Bonnet making and craft activities, which brought out a real mix of creativity and humour. Residents worked alongside grandchildren, neighbours and staff, sharing ideas and helping each other with glue, ribbons and decorations. A few games and activities were set up, including pin the tail on the bunny, name the teddy bear and hula hooping, which drew plenty of smiles and a fair bit of friendly competition.
The buffet from Dempsey’s opened at 3pm and went down well, giving everyone a chance to sit, eat and enjoy each other’s company. Not long after, the garden became the focus once again for the Easter Egg Hunt. Families spread out across the space searching for hidden treats, with children leading the charge and adults getting just as caught up in the excitement.
The event wrapped up with a small prize-giving, celebrating the bonnet competition and the efforts that went into the afternoon. It was a simple, warm moment that brought everyone together before things drew to a close.
Maureen, a resident who celebrated her 88th birthday on the same day, couldn’t speak highly enough of the event as well as life at Dovestone Gardens in general.
““We couldn’t have had a better do, it was absolutely fabulous,” she said.
“They all sang to me because I was 88 yesterday. I enjoyed everything, the buffet was beautiful, honestly, you couldn’t fault it, mind you, you can’t fault anything here, it’s lovely and I love it.
“All the children enjoyed it, and they all went looking for eggs, you couldn’t fault it and it was beautiful yesterday.”
Executive Director of Syncora Sarah Swanson, who joined the event and spent time chatting with residents before taking on the job of choosing the winning Easter Bonnet, spoke of her delight after seeing the community come together at the extra-care facility.
She said: “It was great to see so many children, families, residents and the members of the local community come together at Dovestone Gardens for the first intergenerational event, working in partnership with Participation Works.
“When we opened Dovestone Gardens almost a year ago, we always envisaged that it would become a hub for the local community, enabling such activities and events to take place there.
“The event was enjoyed by all, there were some fantastic Easter bonnets created, and lots of fun in the garden whilst the sun was shining! “
Overall, it was a lovely day that showed exactly what Dovestone Gardens is all about: a place where people feel connected, supported and able to enjoy life with the people who matter to them. The sunshine helped, but the real highlight was seeing residents and families making memories together.
