Samira Abu, Friends of Aspen Court
Listen 00:05:30
Story: Samira Abu - LondonStories of volunteers supporting the health service since 1949
London

The Friends of Aspen Court are an organisation of volunteers that work to support the people of Aspen Court Care Home in Poplar. Their main goal is to work with the residents, staff, and relatives in order to maintain the highest quality of care. This is done by organising activities alongside the activities’ coordinators, and outings that encourage residents to come together, chat with one another, and embrace the community around them. Aspen Court pride themselves on maintaining happiness in the care home, frequently hosting entertainment performers, programmes full of events, and fundraising. They maintain a healthy balance of social time, and independent time, making life enjoyable, and comfortable for the residents, catering to everyone’s needs.
The parent company of Aspen Court, HC-One, was recognised as one of the Top 20 Large Care Home Groups of 2016. They went on to be awarded with this recognition for the next four years in a row.
Residents celebrated Glad to Care Week in the home, enjoying various community building activities. With the week being dedicated to uplifting the work done by care workers, both staff, and residents alike came together to enjoy the projects that were put on, putting on a brilliant display of friendship, and solidarity among those at Aspen Court.
The Friends organised a viewing of Singing in the Rain for the residents. The afternoon was filled with singing, dancing, and laughing as everyone fondly recollected the iconic moves and songs from the film.
Residents joined together to give the Aspen Court garden area a makeover. The residents cleaned up the weeds, and planted beautiful new flowers, as well as putting in new chairs for enjoying a garden lunch, with the help of staff, and maintenance.
Aspen Court Care Home celebrated an Open Day at the home, jam-packed with exciting activities. The day included a barbecue in the garden, karaoke, listening to popular music from the 1950’s, and had a big finish with a 1950’s themed best dressed costume competition!

Listen 00:05:30
Story: Samira Abu - London
Listen 00:07:46
Story: Sona Sladkova - East London