Poole schoolchildren name facilities at new Care UK dementia home

Poole schoolchildren have had the honour of naming some of the facilities at a new Care UK development.

Youngsters from Broadstone Middle School entered a competition for the chance to name the suites and coffee shop at The Potteries, a purpose-built site which will be home to up to 80 residents with dementia.

The winners of the contest – Jenni Wilkinson, 12, Bethany Gill, 10, and Elizabeth Gilfoy, 12 – were each presented with a £15 voucher and a certificate to mark the honour of naming the facilities Quayside, Delphis and Dolphin. Jenni chose Quayside for the coffee shop because the original site was next to the quay, while Bethany and Elizabeth took inspiration from the Poole Pottery for their entries.

Donna Milne, manager at The Potteries, presented the youngsters with their prizes. She said: “I was very impressed with the children’s enthusiasm and local knowledge. Most of the people who will make their home at The Potteries will have lived in the area and we want to ensure that their home has excellent links with the community so they can continue to enjoy all the news and activities in the town.”

Andrew Johnson, headteacher of Broadstone Middle School, is very “proud” of the youngsters for the effort they put into the competition. He said: “The school and children were very pleased to be involved in the naming of the facilities at the new Care UK home. We are proud to know that our pupils take an active interest in their wider community and took the time to carefully consider suitable names.

“We hope to continue our links with this care home and demonstrate our school ethos of care, courtesy and co-operation to its residents in the future.”