Residents and staff at Bridge Haven care home are getting ready for an exciting outdoor adventure with their local scout group.

Bridge Haven, owned and operated by Avante Care & Support, is home to elderly people and those living with dementia. It is situated in the picturesque village of Bridge, Canterbury, and is popular amongst the local community.

The home has maintained its strong community links over the years and is well supported by the village and surrounding areas. The Nailbourne Scout Group have become regular visitors, holding a monthly session at the home. The scouts have become extremely popular with residents at Bridge Haven as many residents were either scouts, scout leaders or guides themselves. The visits have helped improve communication and increased activity levels. The subject of camping has also become a hot topic amongst some residents, with one lady in particular regularly talking about her joys of camping as a child. The successful collaboration with Nailbourne Scouts has now led on to an exciting event set to happen on the 6th and 7th July within the gardens of Bridge Haven care home.

Kim Drury, Home Manager, said: “Across the country, the National Scouts Association is supporting a range of initiatives to help people with dementia. Our local project has involved scouts, residents and staff taking part in a range of joint activities to share interests and develop positive relationships. This has sparked interest and enjoyment for many residents and been a great opportunity for scouts to develop empathy and insight into the lives of people with dementia.

“We are now launching a ‘never been seen before’ event on the 6th and 7th July with Bridge Haven hosting a two-day scout camp within the grounds of the home, inviting residents and their loved ones, and staff to camp alongside the scouts under the stars for the evening.

“The two-day event will include an array of activities including, archery, a local community hike, a BBQ and, of course, it will be finished off with a camp fire with plenty of songs to be sung and marshmallows to be toasted!

“We believe a scout camp has never been hosted with people living with dementia outside in the grounds of a care home setting by any other care provider and we are delighted at the possibility of being the first to do so.”

www.avantecare.org.uk