Waterlooville care home creates incredible treat for local community hero
Melody Willers knows how to make her Denmead Community smile. So much so that BBC Solent awarded her a Good Neighbour Award and celebrated her at their Make A Difference Ceremony. Denmead Grange care home recently stepped in to help her celebrate this incredible achievement with her entire family.
Denmead has been ‘Happy Hens Central’ since 2021. As a hobby sewer (with a sideline in chicken appreciation), Melody realised that a well placed and distinctively different amusing hen would raise a smile when the chaos, confusion and sadness of Covid was stealing normal life and happiness from so many.
Working with her indefatigable joie de vivre and pithy passion she set about producing some jaunty beaks, knobbly kneed ‘Happy Hens’. They were located under cover of darkness often and Denmeadians who discovered them found their days became brighter.
Word spread like wildfire; it made the local news! She kept her identity as ‘Happy Hen creator’ under wraps but eventually needed help with some operational aspects of her good deeds after a serious injury.
With her blessing eventually her cover was ‘blown’ and Melody was then open to the appreciation and gratitude of her Community. To-date well over 1000 hens have new homes within the loving arms of those who live in or frequent Denmead.
When Melody was naturally and deservedly nominated for her Good Neighbour Award she was able to take just her son Sam and two very dear friends. It was wonderful of course, especially when she won but what a tricky choice to limit your guests!
The team at Denmead Grange felt Melody was worthy of something more, perhaps intimate and highly personal in terms of recognition and appreciation. They have come to know Melody and feel that she is good to the marrow of her bones, she gives with her whole heart and cares for her family with the love of a fiercely protective Mother Bear.
So, as a beautiful Care Home that really values their community, loves family and knows it is how you really ‘feel’ that truly matters, they gently asked Melody if they could make a wee fuss of her (on a weekend when she could share some special celebrations with her family). Thankfully curiosity got the better of her and she agreed.
Craig their fabulous Head chef ‘went to town’, their team had such a wonderful time with this incredible family, Melody commented she felt ‘treated like royalty’ and that she’d ‘dearly like to call Denmead Grange my home one day’. Well Melody, they’ll settle for seeing you more as they’ve now got some crafty hen making sessions lined up (thank you!) so there will be more Happy Hens making more smiles at Denmead Grange – possibly the happiest Denmead Care Home.
Abbie Johnstone, General Manager of Denmead Grange commented: “We always seek to make a positive contribution and difference in our Community, we are so grateful to others who do so too. Helping Melody to share the celebrations of her Neighbourhood Award with her family was our way of extending that appreciation and our thanks.’
Denmead Grange care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Denmead Grange provides residential and dementia care for 60 residents from respite care to long term stays.