RESIDENTS of at least 17 care homes in Oxfordshire will have their voices heard on May 7.

Staff and volunteers at the Orders of St John Care Trust are encouraging about 850 residents to vote in next month’s General Election by hosting candidate talks, providing transport to polling stations and even helping voters to register.

Penny Jenner, activity co-ordinator for Marston Court Care Home in Marston Road, Oxford, said: “Many of the older generation will have voted their whole lives but because they’ve moved to a care home, or because of the registration system changing, they may not be able to vote.”

As part of the preparations for the General Election, Mrs Jenner is holding a number of hustings events at Marston Court for residents and day centre visitors.

During the weeks in the run-up to the General Election, pensioners will be able to grill the five parliamentary candidates for Oxford East.

Mrs Jenner has been helping residents formulate questions in workshops.

About 30 residents and day centre visitors attended the first hustings event on Wednesday with parliamentary Labour candidate and incumbent Andrew Smith.

Marston Court resident 79-year-old Freda Doe said: “I most certainly will be voting – it’s very important to vote.”