Home Press Releases Teens surprise Doreen, 96, with birthday cake
TEENAGERS surprised an elderly care home resident with a cake, candles and a card to mark her 96th birthday.
Doreen Beckett, who lives at Deangate Care Home, in Mapplewell, Barnsley, received well-wishes from students from the Reds in the Community National Citizen Service (NCS) programme.
The group from the Barnsley Football Club charity, all aged 15-to-17, were at the home to complete their community action project when they learned it was Doreen’s birthday.
They left the home to buy a cake and a card and returned to present it to Doreen in the dining room while they sang happy birthday.
Alongside interacting with the residents, the students carried out various jobs in the home’s garden for their project.
They painted flower beds, a fence and flowerpots as well as installed fairy lights, with the aim of brightening up the space outside.
Dawn Paley, home manager at Deangate Care Home, said: “The students from Barnsley FC’s Reds in the Community NCS programme have done a brilliant job in our garden.
“They’ve created a really special place for the residents and their visitors to enjoy.
“They also spent time indoors with the residents, interacting on a one-to-one basis, chatting and playing various games.
“They took a particular shine to Doreen and, when they found out it was her birthday, they decided to go and buy her a cake and a card. It was such a lovely gesture and made her day.
“We’d like to say a massive thank you to the students and Reds in the Community team for thinking of Deangate for their community action project. We look forward to welcoming more groups to the home in future.”