New cinema room opens as part of a major refurbishment at Gainsborough care home Foxby Court
A new cozy cinema room has been opened at Foxby Court in Gainsborough following a major home-wide refurbishment project led by resident input.
As part of a full renovation of the care home, which is run by The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT), the room – previously used for social distanced visits during the pandemic - was repurposed after Home Manager, Sara Bland and her team asked residents what they would most like to see. The answer was clear: a cinema room where everyone could gather to enjoy films, tea, and snacks in a warm, welcoming setting.
“We asked our residents what would make them happiest, and they came up with the idea of a cinema room,” said Sara. “They wanted a space where they could enjoy a good film together, just like the old days - and that’s exactly what we created.”
The cinema room officially opened on 8 April and was formally opened by resident Una Clark (94), who had been especially enthusiastic and involved in the project. Una contributed to decisions about the room’s design and even selected some of the artwork displayed in the home’s Elm Tree household - choosing pictures of donkeys, which she loves.
To stock the new cinema, the home reached out to the local community via a social media post asking for DVD donations and were overwhelmed by the response. Over 200 DVDs were donated by generous members of the public. Just the other week, residents enjoyed watching some classic England football matches, which were among the DVDs received.
The new cinema is just one part of a comprehensive refurbishment that also includes updates to the entrance, lounges, hair salon, staff room and corridors. Residents were closely involved in decisions throughout the renovation, from furniture choices to decorative finishes.
“It’s lovely,” said Barrie Davies, age 91. “I used to love going to the pictures, and now we can kick back and enjoy a decent film right here in our home!”
The cinema room features comfortable seating, a 4K Ultra HD TV, surround sound and wheelchair accessibility, and will be used for regular screenings of classic films, new releases, and themed movie afternoons.
The refurbishment reflects OSJCT’s commitment to creating a warm, engaging environment where residents feel at home, have a voice in their surroundings, and enjoy meaningful daily experiences.
Visitors are welcome to experience this friendly atmosphere first-hand and see the refurbishment at the home’s summer fair on Saturday 23 August from 14:00 to 16:00.