Each year, many of our residents and staff look forward to the excitement and drama of Wimbledon, and Abbotsleigh Care Home makes no exception!
Whether it’s the game play, Pimm’s, or the strawberries and cream at the top of the agenda, celebrating Wimbledon is a great way to unite staff and residents in a single event and have some fun! With many of our residents having played in their youth or attended the Grand Slam themselves, we are all keen tennis fans.
To celebrate this year’s tournament, Abbotsleigh hosted a wonderful Wimbledon Party outside the front of our Home on Friday 1 July, with a big screen showing live matches. Our residents embraced the Wimbledon theme, donning headbands and racquets in a backdrop of white, green and purple bunting.
Staff and Managers dressed in Wimbledon whites and were joined by local tennis talents for some fun and games in the sunshine. Our ladies and gents really enjoyed spectating, with chatter, drinks and ice-creams a plenty.
The Wimbledon event was also the perfect opportunity for Nellsar to showcase the launch of a brand-new charity to support young tennis players chase their dreams. Tennis-Talents is a registered charity committed to giving young people the opportunities and skills to enjoy longevity in the sport that they love, regardless of their financial background.
Spearheaded by Alina Abagiu (Abbotsleigh’s very own Registered Manager), Joy Cagande (Deputy Manager) and Viv Stead (Recreation and Well-Being Manager for Nellsar), amongst one of the charity’s first members was Alessia Popescu, an aspiring 17-year-old rising tennis star from Kent, who is ranked third in the county and 700th worldwide.
Alessia, along with a host of the charity’s other rising stars, visited Abbotsleigh Care Home during the Wimbledon party, where she engaged in tennis-themed activities with our residents to encourage them to get involved and stay active, both physically and mentally.
Speaking after the event, Martin Barrett, Managing Director at Nellsar, said: “Myself, Alina, Joy and Viv are absolutely delighted to officially launch Tennis-Talents and involve our staff and residents in such a fun, timely event. The Popescu family have been our friends for many years and we’re all so proud of Alessia for everything she has achieved so far in her career. We look forward to supporting her journey for many years to come. She’s such an incredible role model to everyone at Nellsar and we all cannot wait to get behind her and take the world of tennis by storm!”
