Residents of Stanley Wilson Lodge Care Home in Essex recently travelled to Little Easton Lodge for an afternoon tea experience like no other.
Afternoon teas are well enjoyed amongst the people who live at Stanley Wilson, as they provide the opportunity for people to socialise, share stories and snack on some of their favourite sweet treats too.
Knowing residents wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon tea in the great outdoors, the team liaised with the tea from Little Easton Lodge to arrange the experience. After hearing about the plans, residents were very excited, but little did they know that they would be in the presence of some special furry friends.
With the sun shining down, residents were shown to a seated area under the shade of a gazebo. The team then brought out a herd of alpacas who would be joining them for the afternoon tea. Smiles were raised around the table as people saw the animals and they were excited to say hello and pet them.
As people sipped on their drinks and ate their cakes, an alpaca handler from Little Easton Lodge began to share interesting information about alpacas, including what they eat, their habits, and how this particular group gets on very well despite the imbalance between males and females.
After everyone had finished eating, residents were then invited to get up and stroke the alpacas. It was wonderful to see smiles on the faces of all residents and many said how soft the alpaca’s fur was. As everyone enjoyed feeling their fur, the team gave each guest a small piece of fur to take away with them, not only to feel but to serve as a way to bring back memories from their afternoon tea with alpacas.