Easter treats being collected for care home residents
A CARDIFF man and his team of helpers are collecting Easter eggs to distribute to residents of care homes across South Wales.
Chris Bridgeman, 60, from Trowbridge, helped care for his ageing mum Marjorie Hodge, who suffers from dementia, at home before she went into residential care.
Chris and his family found this difficult especially during these times of the coronavirus pandemic.
Christmas for Care Homes was an idea brought about after a conversation between Chris and his daughter Tayla, who both wanted to do something for all those people feeling isolated and lonely at Christmas.
The aim was to collect wrapped donations and deliver them to care homes across South Wales.
After the success of their Christmas efforts, the team wants to continue to spread the joy and generosity this Easter.
Chris, a lecturer at Cardiff and Vale College, said: “Due to the success of the Christmas appeal and having more than 1,000 members all wanting to continue to help, I felt that it would be a shame to just forget about the residents and also the members that went above and beyond in raising such a large amount of gifts at Christmas time.”
The Easter project is to be over two days rather than three, contact has been made with the previous 16 homes visited and two new ones have been added.
The plans are to deliver Easter eggs, gifts, or cards to the following homes and even more homes if the team have enough donations: Cae Glass Centre, Pontypridd; Heol Don Care Home, Whitchurch, Cardiff; Cliffhaven Care Home, Penarth; Nazareth House, Cardiff; Ty-dyfan Residential Home, Barry; Danybryn care home, Radyr, Cardiff; Cartref, Lakeside, Cardiff; Lakeside House, Cathays, Cardiff; Willowbrook, St Mellons, Cardiff; Quarry Hall Care Home, St Mellons, Cardiff; Ely Court Care Home, St Fagan’s, Cardiff; The Forge Care Centre, Ely, Cardiff; Oak House Penylan, Cardiff; and Aria Care Home, Newport.
Chris said: “The feedback that we received from members, the residents and the carers gave us the energy to try again.
“We have also taken precautions to cater for residents, who may have health issues preventing them from having chocolate, by providing a substitute gift.
“If you would also like to give an Easter card too, just a simple loving message would be wonderful and we shall endeavour to distribute them equally between homes.”
The cut-off date for donations is March 15.
For more information, or to contact Chris, visit the “Christmas for Care Homes” Facebook group.
DRIVE-IN venture Street Food Cinema proved to be a success when it took place at Cardiff’s Splott Market last summer as lockdown regulations eased.
And now it’s set to come back to the same location from March 29 to April 5, depending on the latest Welsh Government review of regulations, including travel and social events, on March 12.
The line-up of films means that there’s fun for all the family plus delicious street food served direct to your car by usherettes.
Movies such as Back II The Future, Sing, Jungle Book, Jurassic Park, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Joker ensure that there’s a screening for most tastes.
There’ll also be some pre-film surprises to make the drive-in experience memorable, promises Street Food Cinema.
If there are further lockdown restrictions, the tickets will be exchanged for a future event or given a credit.
Splott Market isn’t the only location offering a drive-in cinema, film fans can watch a romantic-set of movies at Porthcawl’s Surf School as Firefly Cinema Club has moved back their Valentine’s programme to April 19 to 25.
Films such as A Star is Born, Notting Hilland 50 Shades of Grey will be played and there’s a few shows for the kids too, with The Lion King and Tangled also on the bill.