With their handmade teddy bears and paper flowers are resident Irene Brown (left), Activity Organiser Sandra Boulton and resident Betty Elvy at Colten Care’s Avon Reach care home in Mudeford, pictured with stroke campaigner Claire Whitehouse
A family-owned care provider with 11 homes for elderly people in Dorset raised nearly £25,000 for good causes in 2014.
The figure means Colten Care residents, families and team members have together benefited charities by more than £110,000 in the past five years.
A range of organisations receive help from the company’s policy of linking activities programmes with fundraising for charities chosen by residents.
Avon Reach in Mudeford was the home that raised the most money last year, with £3,746.
Colten Care Activities Manager Karen Burdon said: “It’s entirely up to our residents which charities we support. Once the choice is made, we all get behind it. Team members like to take part in sponsored events, such as walks and bike rides, and we enable our residents to contribute directly in meaningful ways such as making arts and crafts to sell at fundraising fetes.”
To help the Stroke Association and, in particular, young stroke survivors, Avon Reach held a gala dinner and sold knitted teddy bears and paper flower displays made by residents.
The money raised, more than £750, was presented to stroke campaigner Claire Whitehouse from Burton near Christchurch
Claire, who suffered a stroke when she was just 19, said: “The residents are in a different age group but they still wanted to donate to help young stroke survivors. It blew me away when I first heard. I thought ‘wow’. I couldn’t believe it.”
Among Colten Care’s other Dorset homes, donations were made to the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation, Poppy Appeal, Youth Cancer Trust, Caring Canines, Poole Hospital Special Baby Unit, Cash for Kids, Royal British Legion and Dorset Blind Association.
