Chestnut Garden care home in Purley had a blast celebrating International Friendship Day in advance of July 30. There were smiles all round as staff and residents reminisced about their friends and some of the wonderful times they had shared over the years.

The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between people, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.

Today, Friendship Day is celebrated in many countries across the globe and is a special occasion that encourages people to celebrate their friendships – old and new – by spending time with their friends and loved ones.

Judith, a resident at the home, commented: “We’ve had such a lovely day. It has been wonderful to celebrate all our lovely friends, Friendship Day has made me think about just how much those relationships mean to me. We all had a lovely time enjoying time together being looked after with prosecco and cakes”

Gayane Selimyan, General Manager at the home, said: “Everyone at Chestnut Garden was keen to get involved in Friendship Day celebrations. It was really nice to see residents engaging with their friends both in and outside the home, and I think it made everyone realise just how amazing it is to have good friends.”

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

Chestnut Garden is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Chestnut Garden provides residential care, dementia care and respite care