On Friday, 6th September, Ruby Lodge Care Home in Thirsk celebrated its grand opening, with the Mayor of Thirsk, Councillor Andrew Trueman, cutting the ribbon. This exciting day marked a new chapter for care in the local community, as Ruby Lodge welcomed its first residents, Barry and Anna, alongside Home Manager Holly Hunton and Co-CEOs of Country Court, Alykhan and Al-Karim Kachra.
What makes Ruby Lodge truly stand out is its approach to care, offering much-needed residential dementia care and promoting intergenerational connections. Located next to Lara Nursery, the home provides an exciting opportunity for residents and local children to interact, an aspect of care that fosters warmth, engagement, and shared joy.
Home Manager Holly Hunton, who has been involved in care since she was 14, brings an incredible amount of passion and expertise to the role. Holly has successfully commissioned two services in the past decade and is thrilled to now lead Ruby Lodge in her hometown. She shared, "I’m so excited to launch Ruby Lodge in my hometown of Thirsk. We will be
offering much needed residential dementia care to the most vulnerable in our community. We have a fantastic team of local staff who are as committed as I am to making Ruby Lodge a central part of the Thirsk community."
The opening weekend was a great success, with over 150 visitors exploring the beautifully designed facilities and enjoying live music and refreshments. Visitors were particularly impressed by the care home’s modern, luxurious environment, likening it to a 5-star hotel. One attendee commented, “It’s exactly what our town needed, especially the dementia care facilities.”
In addition to the warm welcome from the community, Ruby Lodge also raised £254.42 through a Grand Opening raffle for their residents’ comfort fund. Local businesses generously donated prizes, ranging from food hampers and fresh flowers to vouchers for local services.
Home Manager Holly Hunton also shared her gratitude, saying, “We received fantastic
support for our Grand Opening raffle, Frank Family Butchers, Rowleys Florist, Alina Florist,
Thirsk Racecourse, Carpenters Arms Restaurant and many others generously donating prizes such as food hampers, vouchers, fresh flowers, books, jewellery and much more. Thanks to everyone’s contributions, we raised a wonderful sum of £254.42 for our residents’ comfort fund, which will be used for a special activity. We’re extremely grateful for the community’s involvement.”
For those looking to bring creative activity ideas to their care home settings, Ruby Lodge offers inspiration. With its range of welcoming spaces like The Coffee Club Café, The Winning Post Pub, and the Elegance Beauty & Wellness Spa Salon, it shows how thoughtfully designed environments can contribute to a fulfilling, social, and enriched lifestyle for residents.
Country Court, with a forty-year history of providing luxury, person-centered care, operates
forty-seven care and nursing homes across the UK, specialising in residential and dementia
care.
To book a tour of Ruby Lodge Care Home, please get in touch with Kirsten Idle, Customer
Relations Manager, at 07356 189 494 or via email at kirsten.idle@countrycourtcare.com.
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