Bennett Lodge Care Home, part of the Runwood Homes group, welcomed residents and staff from Carolyne House, Leatherland Lodge, and The Whitecroft on 24 December 2025 for a festive Christmas gingerbread house competition, celebrating creativity, community, and friendly competition.
The event saw all four homes come together at Bennett Lodge to design and build Christmas-themed gingerbread houses. Residents and staff worked side by side, carefully choosing decorations and deciding where each festive detail should go. The atmosphere throughout the day was calm, friendly, and full of cheerful conversation, with a healthy sense of competition adding to the excitement.
A small trophy was awarded to the winning home, but the real highlight was seeing residents actively involved, sharing ideas, and enjoying the social experience with people from other services. Many residents expressed how much they enjoyed taking part and said they would love to see more joint activities between the homes in the future.
Jack, Lifestyle Coordinator at Bennett Lodge, commented:
“Residents really enjoyed making gingerbread houses and being part of a friendly competition with three other homes.. All four homes enjoyed and would like to do more activities together in the future.”
The idea for the event was first discussed during a residents’ meeting, reflecting the importance of listening to residents’ voices and supporting activities that promote social connection and wellbeing.
Events like this play an important role in bringing homes together, encouraging collaboration, and creating meaningful, enjoyable experiences for residents and staff alike.
