Party time for residents

Resident Patrick Walsh dressed as Elvis, with Regenda HR Advisor Kate Patterson

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Rock and roll came to Rochdale in the form of a ‘vintage’ street party for the older residents of a sheltered accommodation scheme.

The party was held at Pennine View in East Street, which is an independent living community, and was organised by members of Regenda’s Human Resources team as a way of getting to know their residents.

They chose the theme – the 1950s – and organised the event, along with the manager of Pennine View.

Activities on the day included prize bingo, a raffle, an ‘old-fashioned’ sweet shop, and a 50s-themed buffet with classic drinks from the era, such as cream soda and ginger ale. There was dancing to the music of the time – Elvis, Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers – as well as fancy dress.

To mark the occasion, Regenda’s in-house repairs and maintenance service, M&Y, also donated a new bench and plants to help residents enjoy the grounds of Pennine View.

Resident Elizabeth Mills, 64, said: “It was an excellent party, and brought back memories of my early years.

"It was nice to get together and get to know the Regenda staff – we should have another one in six months time!”

Sam Cornes, Learning and Development Business Advisor at Regenda, said: “We had no idea what to expect before turning up at Pennine View, but we were thrilled to see how friendly and welcoming the residents were to us.

"We all had a fantastic day and I feel that as a team we now have a much better appreciation of what life is like at Pennine View, including the challenges that people face on a daily basis.

"We hope that we can get involved in other events there and continue to build on the foundations that have been laid.”