Milford Lodge Care Home transformed its garden into a joyful seaside escape this weekend as residents, relatives, and staff gathered for a seaside‑themed Summer Party filled with music, colour, nostalgia, and plenty of treats.

🌊 A Garden Turned Into a Mini Seaside Resort

The garden buzzed with excitement as families arrived to join residents for an afternoon of classic summer fun. The highlight for many was the ice cream van, serving soft scoops and lollies that instantly brought back memories of childhood holidays by the sea. Laughter echoed across the garden as people compared flavours, shared stories, and enjoyed the warm weather together.

Adding to the atmosphere was singer Victoria, whose live performance brought a beautiful mix of golden‑oldies, sing‑along favourites, and uplifting summer classics. Residents swayed, tapped their feet, and sang along, creating moments of connection that felt both tender and celebratory.

🎪 Stalls, Games, and Creative Fun for All Ages

The party featured a wonderful variety of stalls, each run with care and enthusiasm:

Face‑Painting Corner — a hit with visiting children and even a few adventurous adults.

Residents' Stall — filled with handmade crafts, decorations, and small gifts proudly created by residents.

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Gardening Club Plant Stall — showcasing beautiful plants grown and nurtured by residents in the gardening club.

Raffle Table — packed with donated goodies from families, staff, and local supporters

Tombola Stall — always a crowd‑pleaser, with prizes flying off the table

The mix of creativity, colour, and community involvement made the garden feel alive with activity and joy.

🧜‍♀️ Staff Make a Splash in Disney's The Little Mermaid Costumes

In true Milford Lodge fashion, the staff went all‑in on the seaside theme by dressing up as characters from Disney's The Little Mermaid. Ariel, Ursula, Sebastian, Flounder, Scuttle, Fetsom & Jetsom and Prince Eric made appearances throughout the afternoon, delighting residents and adding a playful, magical touch to the celebration.

Their costumes sparked endless giggles, photo opportunities, and conversations — especially among residents living with dementia, who responded warmly to the colour, movement, and familiar characters.

💛 Raising Funds for Resident Wellbeing

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Beyond the fun, the Summer Party had a meaningful purpose. Through stall sales, raffle tickets, and generous donations, the afternoon raised funds to support more engagement and wellbeing opportunities for residents — from creative workshops and entertainers to sensory experiences and community outings.

Families expressed gratitude for the effort and imagination that went into the event, praising the staff for creating a space where residents feel celebrated, included, and deeply cared for.

🌞 A Day Filled With Connection and Joy

The seaside‑themed Summer Party captured everything Milford Lodge is known for:

warmth, creativity, community spirit, and a commitment to making every day meaningful for residents.

The Engagement & Wellbeing team Rliana Ferraris & Devina Kutowaroo said

"It was an afternoon of sunshine, music, shared memories, and heartfelt togetherness — the kind of day residents will be talking about for weeks"