Care home hailed

A Crieff care home was one of two in the town praised as part of a new community award.

The Birches in the Strath capital was commended as the winners of the inaugural Tony Barker Award were announced.

The award was won jointly by Crieff’s Richmond House and the Corbenic Camphill Community, near Dunkeld.

But The Birches was one of several other premises praised by local arts project Generating Opportunity CIC.

Helen Maclellan, wellbeing co-ordinator at The Birches, said:“we were delighted to be recognised for the creative projects that we have undertaken with our residents.

“Together, colleagues, residents, families and friends collected more than 1000 milk bottle tops that we saved from landfill and transformed into a zero-waste dress.

“Initiatives such as this are a wonderful way of helping residents to relax, explore old memories and forge new friendships.

“It has been a pleasure to watch our project bring the wider Crieff community together.”

Generating Opportunity CIC director Linda Grant said the award was created to celebrate“outstanding community contribution”by care settings across the region.

She continued:“we have been fortunate to work alongside many local care homes over the past three years through delivering arts and reminiscence activities through our online film library and partner networks and we have been amazed at the capacity for care home staff and residents to support their own communities in the most challenging of situations.

“We wanted to recognise and celebrate their outstanding achievements with an annual award in memory of our late director Tony Barker, which would shine a light on their incredible work within their own communities.

“And celebrate the ongoing contribution by care home residents in enriching the quality of life for others.”