Pets Choice donate to Crossroads Together Social Hens Project

Social Hens Project helps to combat loneliness and depression and give the residents a sense of purpose

Pets Choice donated hampers of chicken feed and accessories, whilst chickens were provided by Crossroads Together, with funding from the Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale CCG to support its ground-breaking new Social Hens Project.

Established by Crossroads Together, which provides support for families and individuals across Greater Manchester by offering practical care in the home, the Social Hens Project provided five chickens to eight care homes in Rochdale to help combat loneliness and depression and give the residents a sense of purpose. The initiative also aims to help improve wellbeing and social interaction.

In support of this fantastic project, Pets Choice has sent each of the care homes a cracking hamper full of chicken feed and accessories from its Feathers & Beaky collection to help the hens stay in tip-top condition.

The initiative includes Stamford House Care Home, in Rochdale, which provides specialised residential care for older people. Representatives from Pets Choice recently visited the home to gift the product hampers.

Camille Ashforth, Feathers & Beaky product manager, said: “We are so pleased to be able to support Crossroads Together’s new initiative.

“Tackling loneliness and depression with the help of chickens is a fantastic idea and we are glad to be a part of it by helping the animals to help the residents.”

Paul Parlby, chief executive at Crossroads Together, added: “We’re so grateful for the support that Pets Choice has given us by providing food to help our hens grow and develop, so that they can continue to bring so much joy to the residents of the care homes we’ve introduced the scheme to so far.”