PUPILS from St. Matthew’s Church of England Primary School on Church Road in Stroud were called upon to lend a helping hand to their new neighbours when they were invited to take part in a competition to name the suites at Care UK’s new £8 million care home – Scarlet House.

Sam Davis, aged 10; Billy Berry, aged seven; Kyesha Bray, aged six; and Samuel Dallison aged six, all scooped top prize for coming up with the winning entries: Anchor Suite, Ocean Suite, Riverside Rest and Severn Bore.

The pupils were presented with cinema vouchers by Scarlet House home manager, Pyela Mwale, and customer relations manager, Elizabeth Miles, at a prize giving afternoon tea which was held at the new care home on Westward Road.

Home manager, Pyela Mwale, said: “St. Matthew’s Church of England Primary School is just minutes away from Scarlet House, so when it came to the all-important naming of the suites within the new care home it seemed like an excellent opportunity to work together and to get to know our neighbours a little better.

“We had a tremendous response to the competition and we were thrilled with the standard of entries. It was difficult to choose the final four suite names, but the winning entries stood out and it was a pleasure to present the prizes at a celebratory afternoon tea. The children also had the opportunity to take a look around the new care home and they even made welcome cards for our future residents.”

Paul Weekes, Head Teacher of St. Matthew’s Church of England Primary School, said: “The suite naming competition not only gave the pupils an excellent opportunity to learn all about the new care home here in Stroud, but it also encouraged them to think about the history and geography of their local area when seeking out inspiration for their entries.”

Situated at 123 Westward Road in Ebley, Scarlet House will provide a range of care services for older people, including residential, nursing and specialist dementia care, as well as short term respite, palliative, and sensitive end of life care.

The first residents will move into the new care home in September and, in the run up to the opening, the team at Scarlet House has launched an appeal to find and celebrate Stroud’s inspirational ‘local heroes’.

The closing date for nominations is Tuesday, August 26.

More information can be found by going to www.careuk.com/scarlet-house, or by visiting the care home.

To find out more about Care UK and Scarlet House, please email elizabeth.miles@careuk.com, or call 07442 505512.

Care UK runs 109 care homes and also provides care for thousands of people living in their own homes.

For more general information, please go to www.careuk.com