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​To help make their patients feel as at home as possible, this Bicester nursing home plans on modelling their new kitchen into a dementia friendly mess hall. Letting them eat, cook, and relax in a comfortable environment.

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Fewcott House Nursing Home, in Bicester, was generously donated a kitchen as a way to help patients who suffer from dementia in finding regular things for them to do within the space of a familiar environment. The kitchen had previously belonged to Ed Gray, a 32-year-old IT worker from Bicester, who decided to donate his old kitchen to help their cause after stumbling across the home’s appeal on Facebook. Ed felt compelled to do something when he noticed the appeal posted by Carol Brunton, the head of activities for residents with dementia at Fewcott House Nursing Home.

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Ed described the reasoning behind his decision by saying ‘We’re getting a new kitchen fitted and were planning to throw away the old one. Then I saw the Facebook post and decided why not help?’ Dementia is something that has affected Ed’s family and he’s aware of the struggles of those who have it have to deal with and the effect it has on those around them.

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Carol Brunton has high hopes for the kitchen in bringing residents together and making them feel more at home by saying ‘The kitchen should allow our residents to do activities that would normally be done at home’. She’s noticed one resident in the past who enjoy folding up clothes and putting them in the washing basket alongside his love for vacuuming. The kitchen should add to the list of ever growing activities for residents to do participate and interact within the home.

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Ms Brunton expressed her gratitude to Mr Gray’s act of kindness and ‘how lovely it is that he’s so willing to help’ and she welcomes anyone else who wants to step forward to help out, with an offer already standing of someone that is willing to come fit the kitchen in place once it’s been greenlit by her boss.

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