Children win home naming competition

TWO pupils from a Telford primary school have won a competition to name and brand their local care home.

Zoe Witkowska and Marcy Hodgson from Lawley Village Primary Academy scooped joint first prize for their entries, which were whittled down from dozens of local entrants.

Marcy, from year four, won a £50 prize for coming up with the new name of Telford Hall Care Home, while Zoe, from year five, won a £50 prize for her new logo design featuring two hot air balloons.

Both girls have been invited to the home next month to cut the official opening ribbon.

Zoe said: “My design was inspired by the town’s amazing hot air balloon festival and it’s great to see it now up on the outside of the building.”

Marcy added: “Zoe and I feel very proud to have won the competition. We walk past the care home every day as it’s just across the road from our school.

“As a school, we often pop in to chat to the residents and get involved with activities.”

Telford Hall Care Home was acquired by the Sandstone Care Group in 2022 and Fiona Brewin became its first registered manager last month. The 66-bed purposebuilt specialist nursing and residential care home prides itself on its high levels of care and its strong sense of community.

The home, which was recently commended by the Care Quality Commission for making significant improvements across all areas of the home and was rated as ‘Good’ in the areas of Responsive, Caring and Effective, also received praise for its “kind and attentive staff” and the fact that residents were “happy and safe” and “supported to be as independent as they could be”.

Fiona, who has an extensive background in care including working as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, said: “We had lots of lovely entries for our competition from staff and residents, Brownies and Lawley Village Primary Academy.

“Zoe and Marcy’s entries were fantastic and we’re really pleased they can cut the official ribbon next month. We’re also going to be using some of the other name suggestions in public rooms around the care home.

“We’re like an extended family here and we love listening to ideas from our residents, because it’s very much their home and we are guests in it.

“I’m so proud that residents see Telford Hall as a ‘home from home’ because that’s what we strive for.”

Annie Hardy, who turned 104 in June, has taken on Cancer Research’s Race for Life in Blackheath alongside her fellow residents and staff members of RMBI Care Co. Home Prince George Duke of Kent Court, in Chislehurst. Three residents and 12 staff members set off on the Home’s minibus to take part in the 3k event on Blackheath Common. They all donned personalised pink T-shirts, tutus and sun hats. At 104, the event’s organisers welcomed Annie when the team arrived and announced she was the oldest participant in the race. Throughout the race, crowds cheered Annie on as the home’s business relationship manager Fiona Hodges pushed her in her wheelchair. Collectively, the team raised more than £1,500 with Gift Aid towards Cancer Research.