Template:Courier-MAR-25-10a
WINGHAM FORGES VILLAGE LINKS WITH WOODS PLAN
The residents of Wingham Court, the care home on Oaken Lane, feel a strong connection to the Claygate community through regular participation in village events and by welcoming local groups to visit.
Emerie Burns, the home’s senior activities lead, says: “Ensuring our residents feel a connection to the wider community is vital in building our activities calendar, as we like to invite community groups to visit us, and we strive to take residents on day-trips whenever we can.
“For example, we have a very close connection to the local church, which our residents really value. We are always on the lookout to connect with more community groups and urge more to get in touch to see how we can work together to make our residents feel connected to those around us.”
Attending Holy Trinity Church services on Sundays has become a regular activity that many residents hold dear. Wingham Court also hosts pop-up coffee mornings once a month for residents and churchgoers to enjoy.
The home has an art room and art facilitator who collaborates with residents on many projects, with their Bigger Trees art project being displayed in the Church.
Residents also enjoy going into the village for community-led activities, such as the annual Claygate flower show, visiting the village for coffee, to shop, or for lunch at the village’s pubs. Staff also organise visits to community events such as the Claygate pantomime and Sandown fireworks display.
Wingham Court is a Bupa Care Home that offers 24-hour care and support for those living with complex needs and long-term neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, acquired brain injury, as well as spinal injuries and strokes, with residents aged 18 to 70 years old. It is home to 66 residents and employs 144 staff.
The home has four acres of grounds and is surrounded by woods and it has recently planned a re-wilding project which has already seen wildflowers and grasses being planted in the grounds. The plan is to invite the Claygate community to visit for wildflower walks when the project is complete.
On top of this, the home provides and maintains sports facilities for villagers: a bowling green and tennis courts. The residents enjoy watching Claygate Bowls Club playing and can use the tennis courts themselves during the summer with the help of the physiotherapy and activities teams.
Other regular activities organised by the physiotherapy lead, the senior activities lead, and with input from residents, include swimming at the Claygate Community Pool with the physio team, Tai Chi, darts, and more.
