Lilian Faithfull Care launches a new gardening competition in Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire-based elderly care charity, Lilian Faithfull Care, is inviting residents, day care visitors and staff to take part in its new gardening competition, Lilian Faithfull Care in Bloom.

Running across its five care homes and two adult day care hubs, green fingered residents, visitors and staff can work together to create a garden patch to submit for judging in August 2021 – with staff across all job roles encouraged to take part, from carers and catering staff right up to senior management.

Each home and day care hub will grow a garden patch with anyone who wishes to contribute being encouraged to take part in a variety of activities, from planting and seed sowing to watering and nurturing the patch.

People are encouraged to work together as a team, with those who have previous gardening experience sharing their skills with those who are new to the activity.

As well as planting flowers to encourage bees, birds and butterflies into the gardens, participants can get involved in creative upcycling projects and have a go at growing their own fruit, veg and herbs – with suggestions from the catering teams on how they can include the produce on the care home’s menu.

The project was inspired by Lilian Faithfull Care’s new care quality manager, Rita Harris, who hopes that staff and residents will all benefit from spending time outdoors together in each home and day care hub’s beautiful grounds, as well as enjoying the mental and physical wellbeing that gardening provides.

With gardening clubs one of the charity’s most popular activities, the new contest is designed to create a point of ongoing interest for residents and day guests, with a touch of healthy competition too.

Participants will have until August 2021 to get their gardens looking gorgeous before they are judged – with Lilian Faithfull Care encouraging people who would like to join the judging panel to get in touch with marketing manager, Kelly Richardson.

Local businesses, community groups and schools are also being encouraged to donate gardening tools, cuttings, seeds and equipment to the charity for the project.