'Sandra bought a new outfit from M&S' Ribbleton care home residents dress up for a night at drag show Funny Girls

A group of care home residents have enjoyed a night at a drag show, after suggesting it themselves at a resident meeting.

Bill, Enid, Sandra, Carol, Lillian and Miriam, who live at Preston Glades Care Home in Ribbleton, dressed up for an evening at Funny Girls in Blackpool.

When the team asked everyone what they would like to do, “How about Funny Girls?!” was the suggestion, and everyone agreed it would be a fun night.

Sandra bought a new outfit from M&S for the occasion. Residents enjoyed glasses of wine and beer and some of the jokes on stage were bolder than the group had expected. Bill said he “could not believe his eyes”.

After the show, the performers came out to have photos taken with the residents. The group did not get back until 11:30pm and everyone was quite sleepy, but all of them said it was worth it.

Bill said he will never forget it, and Carol said she loved every minute.

Tracey, home manager, said: “Honestly, it was a fantastic night. The residents loved it and the team members were great. When our residents ask for something, we want to say yes wherever we can.”

Phoenix, one of the performers, said: “Thank you so much for coming, it was so nice meeting you all. We are so glad you all had a great time.”

David, whose mother is a resident, said: “It was great to see the residents enjoying themselves, and it was lovely to see Mum smiling. Thank you to all the staff who went along and gave their own time to make sure the residents had an unforgettable night out.”

Lindsey, wellbeing lead, said: “What I noticed most was how much the residents were enjoying each other’s company. They were laughing together from start to finish. Nights like this give them something to look forward to and something to talk about for weeks afterwards.”

Seven team members joined the trip in their own time.

Preston Glades Care Home is part of Each Other Care, a family-owned group of 11 homes, five of them in Lancashire.

Across the group, team members make time to find out what matters to each resident and work to make their wishes happen, whether that is a favourite outing, a special occasion or something they have always wanted to try. Each Other Care is nationally recognised for its wellbeing programme, and involving residents in decisions about their days is a big part of life in its homes.