Whether partial to a rhubarb and custard, a jelly bean, or some liquorice, residents at a Stowmarket care home were delighted at the opening of their very own old fashioned sweet shop and tearoom.
Chilton Court, which is home to 35 residents, unveiled its new shop Chilton Allsorts on Tuesday, selling sugary treats, greetings cards, wordsearches and more.
Children from the nearby Foxglove Nursery were also at the grand opening and were able to enjoy some chocolate for themselves, much to their excitement.
Vicky Willis-Betts, carehome manager, said: “For a lot of people coming into a care home, they are worried about what is being taken away from them. But this shop gives residents a degree of control – they can come down and buy some sweets or a card, and they do not have to depend on anyone to buy things.
“The residents had tasting sessions before deciding which sweets they wanted to be sold. It is their shop. We work here but it is their home so they have a very big say in what happens.”
Stowmarket Mayor Terence Carter, who cut the ribbon and officially opened the shop, said: “Our favourite sweets are one of the things we all remember from our childhoods. It brings us back to our younger years, no matter how old you are. To be able to share sweets with friends and family, gives back to the residents here.”
The name Chilton Allsorts was thought up by a resident.
Jasmine Cochrane, who has been living at the care home for two years, said: “We have all sorts of people living here and we have all sorts of different sweets in the shop so that’s where the name came from.”
Chilton Court is currently looking for volunteers to help run the shop, which is currently open three days a week for a few hours.
The opening of the shop and tearoom, as well as a recent hairdressing salon, is well-timed for a care home open day in late June.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel