A summer fete may only last an afternoon, but what it makes possible can continue long after the last raffle prize has been collected.
Across 12 Meallmore care homes in Scotland, residents, families, colleagues, friends and local businesses helped raise £13,074.92 through summer fetes, family days, raffles and community fundraising events.
The money has supported charities including Age Scotland, Scottish Autism and Ardgowan Hospice, alongside other local causes and resident funds that will help create activities, outings and experiences throughout the year.
That figure does not include the Big Meallmore Kick Off, our separate group-wide campaign for Age Scotland. When its £2,482 total is added, fundraising connected to our summer activity reached £15,556.92.
Twelve homes, one shared effort
The fundraising stretched across Scotland, from Airth, Falkirk and Polmont to Ayr, Newton Mearns, Greenock, Bearsden and communities throughout Aberdeenshire.
In Central Scotland, Airthrey Care Home held several fundraisers supporting Age Scotland, community causes and its resident fund. Willow Lodge and Ivybank House also brought residents, families and colleagues together to raise money through their own summer events.
Across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, fundraising took place at Crimond House, Bayview Care Home, Kynnaird House and St Modans Care Home.
Kynnaird's summer calendar included both its summer fete and a Ladies Day fundraiser, showing that community support does not need to rest on one large event. Smaller activities held throughout the season can build into something significant too.
In the west of Scotland, Belleaire Care Home, Antonine House, Greenan Manor, Mearns House and Kincaid House all played their part.
Different homes chose different causes and different ways to raise money, but the common thread was local people getting behind residents and colleagues.
Supporting causes that mean something locally
The causes chosen by homes often have a direct connection to residents, families or colleagues.
At Mearns House in Newton Mearns, the summer fete brought the wider community through the doors for an afternoon of music, dancing, entertainment and activities for all ages.
The event raised money for Scottish Autism, a cause the home chose because of its importance to families within Mearns House and the wider community. The day included local entertainers, dancers, a magician, a petting zoo, craft stalls and support from Clarkston Fire Service. The amount raised on the day was topped up by Meallmore, bringing the donation to £1,500. You can read more about the day in our Mearns House summer fete story.
At Kincaid House in Greenock, residents, families, colleagues and local businesses came together to support Ardgowan Hospice.
The connection was deeply personal. The hospice had cared for a relative of a Kincaid House colleague during her final days, making the opportunity to give something back particularly meaningful.
Raffles, a tombola, face painting, a balloon artist, baking and live entertainment helped raise £2,000 for the local hospice. Read the full Kincaid House story.
Airthrey also directed part of its summer fundraising towards Age Scotland, supporting the charity's work with older people across the country.
These choices matter. They allow each home to respond to the causes that residents, families and colleagues care about, rather than applying the same fundraising plan everywhere.
Why resident funds matter
Not every pound raised was intended for an external charity.
Several homes also raised money for resident funds, which support additional outings, entertainment, celebrations and shared experiences chosen with the people living in the home.
That might help residents revisit a favourite place, attend a local event, welcome an entertainer into the home or try something that would otherwise sit outside the usual activities budget.
The amounts raised through individual events vary, but each contribution gives residents and home teams more choice over what they would like to do next.
It also means the benefit of a summer fete can stretch well into autumn, winter and beyond.
Community impact in care homes
Fundraising is only one part of the story.
A care home summer fete creates a reason for people to come together. Residents can welcome neighbours into their home, spend time with relatives and take part in something happening in the community around them.
Local businesses donate prizes. Entertainers give their time. Community groups bring activities or performances. Families volunteer, bake, buy raffle tickets and encourage others to come along.
Residents are not watching community activity from the sidelines. They are hosting it.
This reflects the wider approach to Life at Meallmore, where residents are supported to maintain local relationships, continue familiar interests and remain connected to the people and places that matter to them.
Community engagement in care should not be limited to occasional visits into a home. It also means opening the doors, building lasting local partnerships and creating opportunities for residents to contribute to causes they value.
Nearly £15,600 across the summer
The £13,074.92 raised through individual home events sits alongside the Big Meallmore Kick Off, which brought together more than 1,500 residents and colleagues and raised a further £2,482 for Age Scotland.
That takes the combined total connected to Meallmore's summer fundraising activity to £15,556.92.
The Big Kick Off involved every participating home completing 90 minutes of movement with the Meallmore Match Ball. Along the way, residents and colleagues were joined by nurseries, football teams, gymnasts and other community groups.
It was a very different campaign from a traditional fete, but the principle was the same: people coming together around something enjoyable and using it to support a cause that matters.
Thank you to our communities
None of this happens through home teams alone.
It depends on residents who help choose causes and activities, families who support events, colleagues who organise them and local businesses and community groups willing to get involved.
Thank you to everyone who donated a prize, bought a ticket, ran a stall, baked something, performed, volunteered or simply turned up and became part of the day.
And a huge well done to everyone at Airthrey, Crimond House, Belleaire, Greenan Manor, Mearns House, Kynnaird House, Kincaid House, Willow Lodge, Ivybank House, Bayview, Antonine House and St Modans.
Together, these homes raised more than £13,000 through their own community events, supported charities across Scotland and created funds that residents will continue to benefit from throughout the year.
That is community impact at its best: local, personal and built by people pulling together.
Explore Meallmore care homes across Scotland, or discover more stories from residents, colleagues and communities on our news pages.
