Wetherby Manor and Oulton Manor care homes host virtual Christmas market

Christmas markets might be cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic but, not to be deterred, two Leeds care homes have gone above and beyond to organise their very own.

Both based in Leeds, Wetherby Manor and Oulton Manor joined forces with three other Anchor care homes to host the special virtual Christmas Market. 

Hosted on Zoom, residents from all five care homes (along with their family and friends) were able to take a virtual tour of a specially constructed market. Items that were on display were gifts made by the residents, including Christmas Cards and cookies, which anyone viewing could make a request to purchase and if they liked the look of it, have delivered in time for Christmas!

The Zoom call also provided an opportunity for viewers to watch a short film showcasing Christmas preparations in each home, with residents sharing their special Christmas memories.

Resident Arnold Bradbury, 96, who has lived at Wetherby Manor since 2015, said how much he enjoyed taking part in the market and dressing up as Father Christmas for it:

It was such a fun time! It’s a shame that we can’t go to a traditional Christmas fair but seeing everyone from all these different homes come together to put this on was really special. It’s a bit different doing your Christmas shopping via an online tour, but we still got to enjoy the traditional little things like the music, mince pies and mulled wine!

Diane Armstrong, organiser of the Christmas Market, said: 

We’re delighted to have been able to organise something like this for our residents. Huge credit to all the homes pulling together and organising something so brilliant! It’s lovely to be able to do something like this to celebrate Christmas. Alongside the Market, the teams at Wetherby Manor and Oulton Manor will also be hosting some carol singalongs and other traditional activities as well.

Looking for a care home for yourself or a loved one - why not consider either Wetherby Manor or Oulton Manor? To find out more about either home, head over to their dedicated webpages or contact the homes on 0800 731 202.