Picnic perfect: Fareham care home residents and children join forces for day of food and fun

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Residents at a care home in Fareham have enjoyed a feast of fun with children from the local community. Care UK's Parker Meadows, on Redlands Lane, welcomed local children for a special picnic. The children packed their baskets and joined the residents in a series of mini-games and activities, including tin can alley before tucking into homemade sandwiches, crisps and sweet treats. The little ones showed their competitive side with an egg-and-spoon race across the whole garden. The visit prompted many residents to reminisce about their own childhoods spent jam-packing their baskets before heading off to find the perfect picnic location. Resident Kay Farringdon said: 'What a lovely day to have a picnic. It brought back memories when my husband and I used to take our children out in Devon.' Lukasz Mikolaj Irzabek, home manager at Parker Meadows, said: 'We had a great time hosting our intergenerational picnic. It was lovely to see everyone chatting, laughing and sharing memories with each other. 'It was a wonderful opportunity for the residents to share fond memories of their childhood. Activities like this are so important, as they help residents to stay engaged socially by getting involved with the local community. 'We'd like to thank all the children and parents for coming by and helping make this day so memorable.' Parker Meadows provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. The home incorporates plenty of space for hobby and leisure activities in addition to independent-living bungalows on site. The layout of the building is configured into a series of individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge and dining room to facilitate the creation of close-knit communities.