STAFF and residents at a nursing home are asking volunteers to spend a few hours visiting them to make life more fun and interesting.

Westgate House, in Millington Road, Wallingford, has 61 residents, but visits from local volunteers to enterain the residents have dwindled.

Now the home is holding a recruitment day in the hope of encouraging local people to start visiting, to put on activities, help with crosswords and puzzles, or just to have a chat.

The home cares for people with a variety of needs, from the largely able to those suffering from dementia.

Activities organiser Wendy Bowd said: “We have wonderful care staff who do all the physical care, but it would be really nice to have volunteers to bring in a game or have a chat.

“Everybody has a hobby or an activity that they could bring in – be it arts and craft, music or drawing. They can give as much, or as little, time as they want.”

She added: “The home is lovely, because we try to keep it for people from Wallingford. We find that some of our residents went to school together, or used to live up the street from each other.

“One resident was my first boss when I was 13.

“But a lot of them do not have families, so for someone to come in for a one-to-one chat would really improve their quality of life.”

Resident Marge Bumpass, 84, who used to run the Frying Plaice fish and chip shop in St Martin’s Street, said: “It would be really nice to get some volunteers in. They would bring their own ideas with them.

“At the moment, people do not come in at all.

“People in the town were crying out for this to be built, but I think now a lot forget we are here.”

Great-grandmother Peggy Eldridge, 90, said: “It would be nice to see some different people from the town, and to get a few more visitors.

“It would also be lovely to have some men visiting. I get a bit bored of all the women.”

“I can’t do many activities, but I like seeing what other people do.”

One regular volunteer brings in his classical music collection to play to residents, though another, who used to offer residents hand massages, is currently unwell and can no longer visit.

Manager Stella McNeill said residents had such complex care needs, that carers often did not have time to offer one-to-one activities.

She said: “There are far fewer male than female residents, and some of the men can become quite lonely in the home. It would be particularly nice to get male volunteers in for a man-to-man chat or to take them to the pub.”

  • Westgate House is holding an open day for potential volunteers to look round, next Tuesday, from 11am to 4pm. For more information, contact Mrs Bowd on 01491 836332.