Hatmaking, a car filled with balloons and Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon were just some of the attractions at an open day at a Westerham care home.

The day’s activities, at Westerham Place, also included a piano player, a barbecue and a raffle as the home opened its doors to invite local people, families and other guests.

The event was part of the national care homes open day, recognised across the country, and ran from 2.30pm till 4.30pm on Saturday.

Staff helped residents make an array of hats for the day, featuring colourful balloons and feathers.

Barbecue favourites were on offer, hand cooked by chef Stephen Havers, who trained with the Roux brothers before coming to work at Westerham Place, in Brasted Road.

Head of Care, Kirsty Bullock, filled up her car with balloons, with a prize offered for the best guess at how many were inside.

Visiting Westerham Place, which is run by Montreux Living, Mr Fallon said: “It’s always good to receive such a warm welcome, and see the range of activities available for the residents here.

“It is a great example of how high-quality care can make everyone really feel at home, and open days like this are a fantastic opportunity for everyone to find out more about the activities and events that go on, not just today but all year round.”

Pianist, Steve Ashworth, entertained residents and visitors with jazz hits made famous by artists such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson.

Westerham Place manager, Claire Davis, said: “This is one of the high points of the year for everyone here, and one of those days people talk about for a long time afterwards. Everybody had a great time and we enjoyed being able to treat all our guests to some music and fun and games.”

Mark Goodman, healthcare CEO of the Montreux Group, was amongst the visitors during the afternoon, and met many of the residents as well as talking to Mr Fallon.

Mr Goodman said: “It’s great to see the huge range of activities and stalls that our staff have worked so hard to put on for the open day. We love to have the opportunity to share what we do with families and local people.”

Care Home Open Day is a UK-wide initiative inviting care homes to open their doors to their local communities. The aim is to create lasting links between care home residents and their local communities.

For more information click here. www.nationalcarehomeopenday.org.uk