A Sweet Treat In Store For Thorney Croft

Community not-for-profit charity, Apex Stranraer, build a traditional sweet cart for our older people’s care Home, Thorney Croft. A team of eight kindly donated their time and skills as part of a community volunteering project.

Staff at the Thorney Croft wanted to create a nostalgic sweet cart for residents at the home to enjoy. Apex Stranraer, who also maintain the home’s gardens, offered to build the cart as part of Apex’s U-Turn service, a volunteering programme that brings people of all ages together to work on community projects aimed at increasing self-confidence and gaining valuable work experience and life skills.

A team of eight, ranging from 16 to 64, built the cart in just three days. The wider local community also stepped in with local welder, Russell Henry, volunteering his time to make the cart’s wheels.

The team researched dementia-friendly colours to ensure the cart was fully accessible for all residents before painting it. The pink cart will be decorated with colourful bunting and all the sweets will be displayed in traditional sweet jars.

The 60 people supported at Thorney Croft will get to choose their favourite sweets; from aniseed twirls, liquorice allsorts and fruit jellies to freshly baked donuts. The cart will tour the home so residents can enjoy their favourite sweet treats. It will also be seasonally stocked and on display at the home’s Easter celebrations, Summer Fayres and Christmas Fetes.

Hayley Mann, Assistant Service Manager of Thorney Craft, says: ‘We are so grateful to Apex Stranraer for building our sweet cart. It will have a great impact on the people supported at Thorneycroft – they will really enjoy the cart coming round with their favourite sweets and treats. We really appreciate Apex’s time and effort on this project and all they do for us here at Thorney Croft.”

Jackie Rae, U-Turn Personal Development Mentor for Apex Stranraer, says: “It was such a pleasure to help Thorney Croft build their sweet cart. Everyone enjoyed the project and we’re so delighted that they love it. Members of our team have had relatives living at Thorney Croft, so it was very special for them to give something back.”