Care home 'takeaway' night in Dornoch to support garden makeover
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An east Sutherland care home is encouraging people to see what's on their menu as part of an innovative new strategy to raise funds for its garden regeneration project.
Residents at Crossreach Oversteps in Dornoch have been without an accessible garden for several years.
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But thanks to the efforts of its staff and catering corps, a complete makeover could now be in the pipeline.
In April, care home manager Jen Macdonald and her staff will launch its first "takeaway" night to gather the cash needed to breathe new life into its outdoor environment, creating a "safe" and "calming" space for its residents.
Mrs Macdonald said: "Our hope is that the project can enhance the lives of the residents by providing a safe extension of the home, where they can enjoy fresh air and the calming scents of the garden.
"The paths will make the full garden accessible and safe for residents to use independently. It will provide a quiet escape from the bustle of the home, and allows residents to engage in active hobbies such as gardening or bird watching. In the better weather, the garden is a sun trap!"
The care home has already taken forward steps in its planning thanks to the help of a local landscaping contractor.
Mrs Macdonald added: "We plan to lay resin paths within the front enclosed garden. It’s laid entirely to grass at the moment, so not very accessible for people with mobility problems. We have already met with Hunter Landscaping, who have been very helpful.
"The new resin paths will make it immediately accessible for everyone. It will be wide enough for wheelchairs and people walking side-by-side. Once the paths are down – hopefully by end of May – we can start planting.
"It is our plan to have sensory areas, with bright colours, strong fragrances and tactile plants and areas of interest. We’ll also have some wider areas of path to allow for seating areas. It's our intention to have an area laid to wildflowers to encourage bees and insects too.
"When we have the enclosed garden up and running, we'll add a poly tunnel for the pasture at the front of the building. This will be wide enough to allow for wheelchair access, and will be used to improve our sustainability by growing some vegetables. The area next to this will be a fruit orchard."
The majority of the funds needed to pay for the paths has already been raised by volunteer group, Friends of Oversteps – but further fundraising will be required to cover the cost of garden plants, furniture and the poly tunnel.
The idea of hosting a "takeaway night" to raise the rest of the funds came about thanks to Oversteps chef, David Macdonald's past experience running his own takeaway.
Mr Macdonald, who joined the care home last October, has already prepared a sumptuous takeaway menu featuring items such as chicken sriracha wraps, cheesesteak baguettes and an intriguingly named "chain reaction" burger.
Mrs Macdonald said: "One of our carers, Lynsey McNicol, came up with the idea of having a takeaway night to raise funds.
"Every Friday is chippy day at Oversteps – all handcooked by David. It goes down well with the residents, so we thought we could offer a similar taste sensation to the wider community!
"David has a good reputation as a chef, and had a loyal following at the takeaway. He’s already had messages from people saying they’re excited for the night.
"If it works, we might make it a regular thing."
The Oversteps takeaway night is scheduled to take place on Friday, April 5 from 5.30pm to 9pm.
Meals will be available for collection, however, a delivery service will also be on offer throughout the evening for stay-at-home diners in the Dornoch area.
Full details on how to order will be released closer to the time.
