CHICKS COME HOME TO ROOST AT BUPA’S RIDGEWAY LODGE

Residents and employees at Bupa’s Ridgeway Lodge Residential Home, Brandreth Avenue, Dunstable, are welcoming some new recruits to the home in the form of recently hatched chicks. The nine chicks which have been named by residents as ‘Bobby’, ‘Chick Girl’, ‘Flossy’, ‘Eric’, ‘Kaiser’, ‘Louise’, ‘Chucky’ and ‘Lena’ are from a batch of 10 eggs and have been supplied by The Happy Chick Company who specialise in providing a complete chick hatching experience. The two week programme supplied the home with the eggs, incubators and a brooder box which comes complete with heat, light, bedding, feed and water to keep the chicks cosy and comfortable, whilst allowing residents and staff easy access and the opportunity to observe. The scheme has been proven to stimulate activity and learning, encourage social interaction, create a sense of well being, provide a common interest and boost morale. The chicks will eventually leave Ridgeway Lodge and be rehomed. Peter Hodges, home manager at Bupa’s Ridgeway Lodge Residential Home says: “The team has grown really attached to them and we will be sad to see them go. This initiative has proved extremely popular with residents, relatives and staff and their presence has brought back great sentimental memories for our residents.”