Larchwood Care Home, run by HC-One and located in Braintree, Essex, welcomed visitors, guests, and members of the local community to take part in this year’s Care Home Open Week celebrations from Monday 16th June to Sunday 22nd June 2025.
The highlight of the week was the Care Home Open Weekend, which took place from Friday 20th June to Sunday 22nd June, when Larchwood Care Home opened its doors to residents, colleagues, friends, family, and members of the local community for a vibrant Festival in the Garden Party.
Photograph 2
Photograph 2
Care Home Open Week is a national event hosted by Championing Social Care, aimed at fostering connections between care homes and their communities. The week provides homes with the opportunity to showcase their facilities, services, and resident activities while reminding neighbours that they’re always there to offer support.
This year, HC-One embraced the theme ‘The Big Summer Weekender’, celebrating the joy of British summer holidays with a packed schedule of nostalgic, fun-filled activities throughout the week.
Residents, relatives, and guests enjoyed a warm welcome and a full programme of entertainment and community connection, reflecting the home’s important role in the Braintree area. The home was beautifully decorated in summer-themed colours and motifs, creating the perfect setting for a week of celebration.
Throughout the week, Larchwood hosted a range of engaging events and activities, including:
Monday: Residents and staff enjoyed a lively game of volleyball.
Tuesday: A heartwarming ‘Songs & Smiles’ session with babies and toddlers. On the afternoon, there was a visit from the ice cream van, delighting everyone with cool treats.
Wednesday: An outdoor garden picnic for International Picnic Day followed by a ‘Movement & Music’ session with Leanne from Frederick Care Home Entertainers.
Thursday: A spectacular ‘Festival in the Garden Party’ featuring live music from Pete George on electric guitar, where residents, staff, families, and guests sang and danced together. Everyone enjoyed a street-style food lunch with pizzas, burgers, pastas, salads, and more, topped off with a fantastic raffle offering 11 incredible hamper prizes.
The week provided the perfect opportunity for the community to learn more about life at Larchwood Care Home and the services on offer. Visitors were also encouraged to explore career opportunities in care and learn about volunteering roles available at the home.
Donna Owen, Senior Home Manager at HC-One’s Larchwood Care Home, said:
“This week has been a brilliant celebration of everything that makes our home and community so special. The variety of events brought joy to our residents and created a welcoming space for visitors to learn more about life here. It was a real honour to show off the incredible work our team does and the strong bonds we’ve built with the local community.”
Resident Jean Williams added:
“It has been the most enjoyable week – I haven’t had this much fun in years!”
The incredible effort and dedication of Larchwood’s staff shone through in every event. Their professionalism and passion ensured a joyful and memorable experience for everyone who attended.
