Retired farmer John Bland (FRONT AND CENTRE) with Apprentice Support Worker Fearne Oxley-Kidd (TO HIS RIGHT) and other attendees at the Cumbria Quality Care Day Centre at Gilwilly, Penrith
A retired sheep and cattle farmer from Dacre near Penrith took top billing in a painted wooden spoon competition.
John Bland, 80, who attends the Cumbria Quality Care Day Centre at Gilwilly, won a special 170th anniversary commemorative tin of Grasmere Gingerbread® after his Shrek-themed spoon was judged a box office hit.
“I absolutely loved it,” said Joanne Hunter, co-director of Grasmere Gingerbread®.
“It was really apt as a nasty character in the Shrek movie called Lord Farquaad interrogates a gingerbread man,” she explained.
“Not only that, but when Sarah Nelson invented Grasmere Gingerbread® in 1854 she worked for a Lady Farquhar at the time.”
Steph Graham, Manager at the Day Centre, said the spoon painting competition was a lot of fun.
“Everyone joined in and it added variety to our regular programme of social events,” she explained.
For older people living with dementia, the Day Centre is a great opportunity to socialise and it also enables their wives, husbands and carers to have some valuable respite.
John’s winning spoon will now be seen by visitors to The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop in Grasmere.
“We have a spoon garden outside the shop and John’s winning design will take centre stage there throughout the autumn,” explained Joanne.