A care home in Louth, Lincolnshire transformed its traditional summer fair into a two-day festival, welcoming residents, families, businesses and the local community through its doors for its inaugural “Granny Jam.”
Meadows Park care home on Daisy Way, hosted its first-ever Granny Jam festival, creating a vibrant celebration of music, food and fun which saw more than 100 guests, including residents, family members, friends and people from across the local community.
The unique event saw the care home’s summer fair given a festival-style makeover, with local businesses setting up stalls, live entertainment taking place throughout the two days, and Meadows Park’s chef serving up homemade pizzas and a BBQ for visitors to enjoy.
One of the highlights of the festival was seeing residents become stallholders themselves. One resident showcased her handmade creations, with fellow resident Alison Payne, aged 70, purchasing a pair of earrings from her friend.
Alison said, “It was a fantastic event, but the highlight for me was buying a lovely new pair of earrings from my friend – what a great idea the festival was.”
The event featured 12 acts across the two days, including local singers performing classic hits from the 1960s and 1970s, a ukulele band and an immersive drumming session which proved particularly popular with resident, John.
91-year-old John Odlin took part in the drumming session and said, “I really enjoyed the music and getting involved in the drumming – it’s been a while!”
Families also enjoyed a range of activities, including bouncy castles and children’s arts and crafts put on by local businesses, helping to bring different generations together and create a real community atmosphere.
Money raised from Granny Jam will go towards the residents’ fund, helping to pay for future days out, trips and unique experiences chosen by residents.
Home manager at Meadows Park care home, Kelly Coulthard said, “We wanted to create something a little different this year – an event that wasn’t just for our residents, but for the whole community to enjoy and remember. Granny Jam was a fantastic way to bring people together, showcase the talents of our residents and create some wonderful memories.
“The atmosphere over the two days was incredible, and seeing residents, families, children and members of the local community enjoying themselves together was exactly what we hoped for. We have had such positive feedback that Granny Jam will be returning next year, and we’re already looking forward to making it bigger and better.”