Care residents back World Ocean Day

Residents of Colten Care homes have created artworks, explored aquatic life and welcomed young visitors among activities to mark World Ocean Day.

More than a thousand rocks and pebbles were painted blue and white to mimic water flowing under a garden bridge at dedicated dementia care home the Aldbury in Poole.

Residents there spent two months on the project, spraying, painting and varnishing the stones with help from staff at the home and visiting students from Canford School.

As she admired the colourful display, resident Valerie Short, who originally suggested turning the stones blue and white, said: “It took a lot of time but it was well worth the wait.”

Companionship team leader Sue Miles said: “The pebbles did look a little drab before so it was a great idea to brighten them up and link that to an environmental theme. “This has turned out to be a great visual project right from the start. Residents were able to see the transformation building up each time we added a coloured pebble. Our garden bridge now looks just fabulous with its new ‘pond’ below.”

The pebble-painting was complemented with a further creative activity in which residents decorated and hung CDs with pictures of fish over the pond.

In other World Ocean Day activities, residents from the Aldbury and fellow Colten homes Canford Chase in Poole and Fernhill in Longham visited the Oceanarium on Bournemouth seafront to learn more about aquatic life.

The Canford party took photos of the fish on display with a view to creating a collage back at the home.

Among the Aldbury party was resident Dr Robert Morris, a retired marine biologist, who requested the trip to help bring back memories of his oceangoing travels and work.

Sue said: “As we went around the Oceanarium, we talked about sharks, clownfish and seahorses. I asked Robert if he has ever swum with sharks and he said yes, even with great white sharks he encountered off the coast of Australia.

“He really enjoyed the Oceanarium and was very keen to read all the facts on display about nature and marine life.” Robert said after the visit: “What a great day!”

His daughter, Kylie Morris, said: “Dad’s work took him all around the world, and his passionate research on dolphins, whales and our oceans has been used in many scientific journals. “He was even a contender for Sir David Attenborough’s role at the BBC as he was such an enthusiastic promoter of all things in the natural world. “Before his memory started failing, he used to tell a story of swimming through a kelp forest in South Africa and encountering a great white shark who was doing the same!

“Water was truly life for Dad, and the animals in it one of his greatest joys to study and learn from.”

Also as part of World Ocean Day, residents at Bourne View in Poole were joined by pupils from next door specialist school Langside School to create ocean-themed pictures for a display and treasure trail. Taking place in more than 150 countries, World Ocean Day aims to celebrate and honour our shared oceans, highlighting the need for conservation and international collaboration to protect them.

The day, held annually since 2002, involves a range of partners and is co-ordinated by the World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council.