Christmas in July and Willy Wonka summer fête create special memories at Warrington care home

Residents, families and colleagues at Callands Care Home in Warrington have enjoyed a summer full of surprises, as the team brought Christmas forward and transformed the home into the colourful world of Willy Wonka.

The two events brought residents, loved ones and members of the local community together for days filled with laughter, entertainment and plenty of surprises, while also raising funds to support future activities and experiences at the home.

The first was a very special ‘Christmas in July’, organised by Wellbeing Coordinator Kyle with support from the wider Callands team.

For weeks, residents knew only that a mysterious ‘secret event’ was coming. The guessing quickly became a talking point around the home, but the team managed to keep their plans firmly under wraps.

On the morning of the event, Kyle arrived at 4.30am to help complete the transformation, with windows and doors covered to make sure nobody caught an early glimpse.

When the doors finally opened, residents discovered a festive celebration complete with Christmas decorations, music, presents and a surprise visit from Santa.

Kitchen Manager Lorraine and the kitchen team prepared a three-course festive meal, with residents choosing their starter before enjoying a traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, followed by homemade chocolate brownies and mince pies.

But behind all the fun and secrecy was a particularly thoughtful reason for bringing Christmas forward.

The team knew that, for some residents receiving end-of-life care, another Christmas with their loved ones could not be taken for granted. They wanted to create an opportunity for those residents and their families to share another festive celebration together and make memories they could treasure.

Cayley, Deputy Manager at Callands Care Home, said:

“It was more than an early Christmas. It was a celebration of life, love and the importance of making every moment count. Christmas isn’t really about a date on the calendar. It’s about love, kindness and togetherness, and for us it was about giving our residents and their families another opportunity to experience that together. It was a privilege to see so many smiles, hear so much laughter and watch families making memories that will be treasured. This is what person-centred care means to us – creating experiences that genuinely matter to the people we care for.”

Just weeks later, the celebrations continued when Callands hosted its annual summer fête on 1st August, this time transporting residents and visitors into the colourful world of Willy Wonka.

The Warrington care home was transformed with themed decorations, games, food, entertainment and fundraising activities, with Kyle taking on the role of Willy Wonka himself.

Among the biggest attractions were specially created Wonka chocolate bars, with five Golden Tickets hidden inside. Five lucky winners discovered a ticket and took home a prize, adding plenty of excitement to the day.

Residents, relatives and visitors were also joined by local independent stallholders selling handmade goods and gifts, with several generously donating a proportion of their takings back to the home. Together, the event raised more than £600, which will go towards future activities and experiences for residents at Callands.

Live entertainment came from Lucy of Cherry Tree Entertainment, getting residents and visitors singing, dancing and joining in with the celebrations.

Both events were the result of weeks of planning from Kyle and the Callands team, including Kitchen Manager Lorraine, Deputy Manager Cayley and Home Manager Cheryl.

Kyle said:

“Creating memorable experiences for our residents is what it’s all about. Seeing everyone smiling, laughing and making memories together is incredibly rewarding. We are so proud of what we achieved as a team, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our colleagues, families, entertainers and local businesses.”

From keeping a Christmas surprise secret to hiding Golden Tickets in chocolate bars, the two events are part of a much bigger focus at Callands: creating a home where residents can continue to have fun, try new things, spend meaningful time with the people they love and remain connected to their local community.

Callands Care Home is part of the family-owned Dovehaven Care Group and provides nursing and residential care in Warrington.

Looking for care in Warrington? To find out more about life at Callands Care Home, arrange a visit or speak to the team about current care availability, make a care enquiry on the Dovehaven website or contact the home directly.

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