A Dorset care home which only opened six months ago has paid tribute to the “amazing network of people and organisations” who offered services and support during the pandemic crisis.

Trinity Manor Care Home in Sherborne opened its doors to residents on December 16 as a brand new purpose-built 64 bedroom facility for Barchester Healthcare.

When the first reports of Covid-19 hit the UK, at the end of February, the Trinity Manor team started preparations by training staff about the increased importance of hand washing and sanitising.

Two weeks later, in mid-March, all Barchester Healthcare homes were shut to visitors.

Everyone entering the Bradford Road home had their temperature recorded and checks were carried out that they hadn’t been abroad.

On March 23, the country went into lockdown.

Trinity Manor residents couldn’t see their family face to face or have physical contact and no entertainment was allowed to enter the perimeter of the home.

But staff arranged:

• Birthday celebrations
• Virtual museum tours
• Singalongs
• Baking with the Head Chef
• Gifts of flowers from Castle Gardens, Sherborne
• Chelsea Flower show competition to celebrate Trinity Manor’s gardens
• Pen pals from the local area and across the UK
• Celebrations for National Tea Day and VE Day
• Themed dressing up days
• Weekly celebrations for the home’s carers

Trinity Manor also kept community spirits high.

They supported Sherborne Viral Kindness volunteers by baking a cake, donated food to Sherborne Food Bank and, for Easter, delivered homemade scones to Bradford Road residents.

Mental Health Week from May 18 to 24 was marked by doing random acts of kindness.

All Bradford Road residents received cupcakes, National Biscuit Day was celebrated with rainbow cookies baked for frontline workers and homemade brownies were presented to the Third Sherborne Brownies as a thank you for for sending letters.

Dr Valerie Marett, 91, Resident Ambassador for Trinity Manor, pictured left, said: “Staff and residents of Trinity Manor are extremely grateful for the support network we have.

“In particular the kindness of Sherborne Girls Chaplain Kate Windle to whom we have been calling weekly and Castle Gardens for gifting flowers for all of us to plant and enjoy.”

The care home has also thanked Joy Weafer for sending positive and self-care tips weekly and The Friends of the Yeatman Hospital charity for making uniform bags with messages from its volunteers.

Trinity Manor’s Dovile Valiulyte said: “We have been extremely fortunate to have an amazing network of people and organisations in Sherborne who have offered their services and support.

“We are pleased to confirm that following extensive testing, our care home is completely free of Covid-19 and we will do our upmost to keep it that way.

“We are now welcoming new residents to Trinity Manor.”

Trinity Manor offers residential, dementia care and respite care and is among more than 220 Barchester Healthcare homes across the UK.