Residents from our New Forest care homes joined families and friends for a French-themed afternoon tea that raised hundreds of pounds for charity Parkinson’s UK.
Boldre War Memorial Hall was transformed into a Parisian-style restaurant as the parties from our New Forest Homes and other community organisations sampled homemade patisserie delights.

More than 100 guests listened and danced along to traditional French songs played live on accordion, guitar and double bass by French-costumed New Milton group Café Mondial.

Advance tickets, on-the-door entry and donations helped the event raise £700 for the New Forest Branch of Parkinson’s UK.

One resident of Linden House dedicated dementia care home in Lymington, Liz, said: “We had smiles on our faces all afternoon, clapping and dancing. We absolutely loved it. It was wonderful from start to finish.”

Residents from Court Lodge and Belmore Lodge in Lymington, plus Kingfishers in New Milton and Woodpeckers in Brockenhurst, also enjoyed the occasion.

Community guests included members of a French language group in Lymington, set up in relation to the town’s official twinning partnership with Vitré in Brittany.
Peter Doyle, Colten Care Operations Manager, who later presented a cheque with the proceeds to a meeting of the Parkinson’s UK branch, said: “It was an absolute pleasure to help put on such a happy, successful occasion for our residents, the Parkinson’s group members and the local community.

“It was great to chat to people who had a good time enjoying the chance to relax, meet friends and listen to very talented musicians at what was an amazing event.”
Martin Hall-Patch, Chairman of the Parkinson’s UK New Forest Branch, said: “The atmosphere in the room was amazing, with a strong buzz of conversation throughout and this, coupled with the music of Café Mondial, demonstrated that a good time was being had by everyone present.

“It was a truly memorable occasion and an excellent afternoon’s entertainment. This was only made possible by the ceaselessly professional yet personal way the Colten team carried out their duties and the hard work that went into making it all happen so well.

“Everyone I spoke to said they enjoyed the afternoon and it was clear from their faces that the Colten residents felt the same.”

A former society milliner whose clients included Queen Elizabeth was guest of honour as she judged a hat competition involving young children in the New Forest.
Pupils aged up to seven in the pre-prep department of Walhampton School in Lymington paraded a series of creations at an end-of-term garden fete under the expert gaze of Louisa McIntyre.

The ex-proprietor of a Lymington High Street shop and fabric label, Louisa travelled to the school from her care home in the town, Belmore Lodge.

Elegant in her own hat, she enjoyed the pupils’ parade and awarded prizes including a special commendation for Henry Cole, who had taken part despite breaking his collar bone the day before.

Louisa, who has lived at Belmore Lodge for the past two years, said: “I had a fabulous time seeing all these young people being so creative.”

The invitation to judge the competition reflects Louisa’s career standing as a top haute couture milliner.

She trained with Mayfair-based Danish designer Aage Thaarp, known for the hats he created for Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.

Aage recognised Louisa’s natural talent for millinery design and encouraged her to move to Paris to learn about the fashion houses of Dior, Chanel and Jacques Fath.

She lived with her sister in a tiny bedsit in the Latin Quarter, creating designs to display in a friend’s salon.

After her time in Paris, she moved to Lymington and in 1959 opened her High Street millinery shop and label under the name ‘Liz Tilley’.

Louisa told carers at Belmore Lodge that she chose the name because Tilley was her husband’s surname and she thought ‘Liz Tilley’ had a nice sound to it.

The shop became a prominent fixture of the High Street and a well-known destination for fashionistas until it closed in the 1990s.

When she moved to Belmore Lodge in 2022, Louisa brought with her a scrapbook of pictures and press photos featuring hats she made for Queen Elizabeth.

The book took pride of place in a display the home staged in honour of the Queen after her death in September that year.

Louisa was joined at the Walhampton School fete by a party of fellow Belmore Lodge residents.
Among them was Brenda Close, who said: “Being around young people, sampling the atmosphere and seeing everyone enjoy themselves was wonderful.”
The visit was the latest in a series of contacts between the independent school and Belmore Lodge.

Walhampton pupils’ Chapel Choir recently sang in the Belmore Lodge garden along with residents from there and another Lymington care home, Court Lodge.

The show, led by our Music & Arts Partner Fiona Pritchard, included Any Dream Will Do from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat, a musical that the school staged this year.

Also performing was 96-year-old ex-professional opera singer Dorrie Smith, who now lives at our dedicated dementia care home Fernhill in Longham, Dorset.

Dorrie, who in her youth sang on the BBC’s Listen With Mother programme and was a regular guest of the BBC Orchestra, told Fernhill carers of her wish to sing with a choir again so they arranged for her to take part in the Belmore Lodge event.

Dorrie said afterwards: “I had a very lovely time, it brought back lots of memories.”

Belmore Lodge Companionship Team Leader Sharon Semple said: “We had such a warm welcome from Walhampton school when we attended their fete.

“That visit and their choir’s performance in our garden a couple of weeks before were both lovely experiences for all involved.”

More than 30 residents from six of our care homes joined forces to sing carols and entertain visitors at a church Christmas tree festival.
Performers from our homes across the New Forest and Christchurch were in fine voice amid the seasonal fun at St Thomas Church in Lymington.

Under the direction of our Music and Arts Partner, professional musician Fiona Pritchard, the choir sang ten carols, adding the gift of Yuletide music to complement a display that numbered more than 60 Christmas trees.

Fiona said: “It was so lovely to be able to bring all the homes together to sing. They rehearse individually and when they come together, the sound is magical.”

Jack Phillips, a resident at Kingfishers in New Milton, said: “It was a great afternoon, I just had the best day.”

As well as Kingfishers, the singers came from Woodpeckers in Brockenhurst, Avon Reach in Mudeford and the Lymington homes Belmore Lodge, Court Lodge and Linden House.

The festival, organised as an annual fundraiser by the Friends of St Thomas, ran over five days this year with Colten Care once again one of the partners alongside other businesses, organisations and charities.

As well as the opportunity to sing in public, several of our homes organised arts and crafts sessions in the run-up to the festival so that residents could make decorations for some of the trees on display.
“We are proud to support the festival here in Lymington, especially as three of our homes are just minutes away from the church,” said Laura Davis, Marketing and Communications Manager for Colten Care. “The logistics of bringing six homes together to perform is no mean feat, so hats off to all involved.

“Residents told us just how wonderful the day was, how the relatives were there to support and join in, and how the public were wowed by the fact there were so many residents there and how lovely it was to hear them sing. Everyone was joining in. It’s something people will go out and talk about.

“The residents and relatives had a wonderful afternoon and that is at the heart of why we take part.”
Involvement in the St Thomas Church festival is just one of the many ways our residents are celebrating Christmas this year.

A choir representing five of our homes is singing at a public service at St Peter’s Church in Bournemouth in aid of the disability charity Diverse Abilities. They are Fernhill in Longham, Amberwood House in Ferndown and the Poole homes Bourne View, Canford Chase and The Aldbury.

Bourne View is the venue for a separate rooftop carol concert with residents, families and friends from Amberwood House coming along to join in.

Also in the comfort of their own surroundings, residents at Bourne View, Avon Reach and Kingfishers will welcome visits by fellow carol singers on a ‘road trip’ from the Julia’s House hospice charity.

Children from a nearby day nursery will likewise entertain residents at St Catherines View in Winchester with carols.

At Braemar Lodge in Salisbury, residents and staff created a seasonal wreath tree to feature in an annual tree festival at the city’s St Thomas Church which is traditionally attended by thousands of visitors each year.

Across our 21 homes, residents will also enjoy Christmas fetes and fayres, live music, pantomimes, gala lunches and dinners, and a host of festive games and competitions.