Maidenhead care home residents delighted by animal visit

St Mark’s Bupa Care Home in Maidenhead organised a special visit from a local mobile farm for residents to enjoy.

The care home invited Basil and Crew Mobile Farm to come and visit for the afternoon so that residents, their families, staff and members of the local community could all attend. The farm brought its donkey, a lamb and a chicken for the residents to pet, cuddle and spend time with.

Basil and Crew Mobile Farm is a family run company based in Maidenhead. Founded in 2000 from the family’s love of animals, they are dedicated to the welfare and safety of their animals. The Basil and Crew team brought select animals to St Mark’s outside garden, and to the rooms of residents who were unable to participate outside.

Home Manager of St Mark’s, Hazel Corrigan, said: “It was a fantastic day! It was great to see residents’ family members, and the local community all come together to enjoy the activity. Our residents really benefit from spending time with animals, they bring them so much joy – you can’t wipe the smile off their faces!

“Basil and Crew Mobile Farm did a wonderful job of taking the animals to each resident, so everyone could spend quality time with them. We are always looking for new ways to engage residents and are looking forward to Basil and Crew visiting again.”

Resident, Hilda Bond, was delighted to spend time cuddling a newborn lamb, she commented: “I had a wonderful time with all the animals. It was special to see a baby lamb and be able to feed her, she was so calm and friendly. I hope they visit again.”

St Mark’s Bupa Care Home believes animal therapy activities are important in benefitting their residents’ wellbeing and looks forward to hosting more of these activities over the course of the year

St Mark’s Bupa Care Home is situated in Maidenhead and welcomes residents in need of nursing or residential care including those living with dementia and Parkinson’s. For further information, please visit https://www.bupa.co.uk/care-services