Residents at the Laurels Care Home in Draycott enjoyed a month-long staycation during July.

Residents had the opportunity to get involved with travel-based activities, reminiscing and international-themed days complete with special celebration menus.

Families of residents were asked to get involved by sending in photos of their loved one's favourite holiday destinations in the UK or abroad.

Staff and residents enjoyed reminiscing about their favourite holiday memories and travels to a variety of locations.

They enjoyed lots of fond memories of seaside holidays, road trips, caravanning, walking and cycling.

"We spoke to all the residents about their holidays and how they would like to celebrate our staycation theme," said Becky Green, home manager at the Laurels.

"Lots of people grew up in Somerset and have missed being able to visit our beautiful local area during the lockdown.

"We decided to celebrate the best of our county with lots of different locally-themed activities during our staycation."

Residents at the Laurels chose to go on a sightseeing trip to Cheddar Gorge followed by their very own cider festival, courtesy of Thatchers.

Staff and residents enjoyed the summer sunshine and cooled off with water games. Residents had a cheese and wine platter to enjoy thanks to the Cheddar Cheese Company.

The staycation month has been a talking point for residents and staff with reminiscing proven to be beneficial, especially for residents living with dementia.

Talking about people's life experiences helps build connections between residents and staff, and is a way for people to enjoy shared experiences.

The initiative has sparked lots of memories from looking at old photos together, whether with staff or during family visits to the care home.

For more information about the Laurels Care Home, contact Becky on 01934 742649 or email [email protected].