Coming out of lockdown: Fairburn Mews takes on 18 cafes in 18 days to support residents to re-integrate into the community after lockdown

The team at our Fairburn Mews care home in Castleford have completed an ‘18 cafes in 18 days’ challenge to support residents to re-integrate into the community following the pandemic.

During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many of the residents at Fairburn Mews care home were unable to access the local community due to lockdown restrictions.

Whilst residents are excited to get back to doing the things they love in the local community, some were worried about returning to activities that they haven’t done for the past few years.

As restrictions have started to ease, the team at Fairburn Mews wanted to provide a fun and relaxed way of reintroducing people back into the local community.

They decided on the cafe challenge and contacted cafes in the local area that supported the challenge.

Bev Blythe, Activities Team Leader at Fairburn Mews, shares: “We’d like to say a big thank you to local cafes for making us feel so welcome.

“During the pandemic, we were all limited in what we could do, and care home residents even more so.

“As things started to open up, some of our residents expressed that they were a bit nervous about going out into the local community again. We thought that this café challenge would be a fun way to build confidence and reintroduce people into the community.”

18 of the home’s 20 residents took part in the challenge and had a brilliant time re-exploring the local area.

One resident, Pat, shared: “It’s so nice to be able to come outside again,” and another, Graham, said: “I feel better about going out now.”

Residents and colleagues from the home, located on Wheldon Road, enjoyed sampling a selection of teas and cakes whilst visiting cafes around the Castleford area, including Queens Mill Tearooms, The Hidden Tearoom, rivers MEET, Birkin Fisheries Tea Room, The Wrinkled Stocking and Stork Lodge Tea Room.

Since the challenge, residents have been invited back to Queens Mill Tearooms to join their community jubilee baking challenge in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – and the home is out to win!

Mark Quarmby, Home Manager at Fairburn Mews, said: “Our care focuses on supporting people to maximise their independence and build everyday living skills. We actively encourage people to develop and maintain their community connections, and it’s great that we’re able to support this again as restrictions ease.”

List of cafes visited

We'd like to say a big thank you to all of the cafes that we visited during the challenge. 

Day 1: Queens Mill Tearooms

Day 2: The Hidden Tearoom

Day 3: rivers MEET

Day 4: Birkin Fisheries Tea Room

Day 5: The Wrinkled Stocking

Day 7: Birchwood Farm

Day 8: Stork Lodge Tea Room

Day 9: Butterfly Tearoom

Day 10: Ackworth Garden Centre

Day 11: The Carding Shed and Oil Can Cafe

Day12: Chef’s Cafe

Day 13: Bake ’n’ Sarnie

Day 14: Dainty Doris Coffee Shop

Day 15: Costa Coffee

Day 16: The café at Fairburn Mews

Day 17: Flavours Cafe

Day 18: Queens Mill Tearooms