Residents from four care homes recently competed in an epic Scrabble contest in celebration of National Scrabble Day.
Throughout the day, players from the Colten Care homes in Dorset and Hampshire participated in word battles using large-scale Scrabble boards.
Residents at Woodpeckers in Brockenhurst played against friends from Kingfishers in New Milton, whilst teams from Amberwood House in Ferndown squared off against Bourne View in Poole, fostering friendly rivalry between the homes.
A sweepstake was established for non-playing participants, keeping them engaged by estimating the total number of words each team could create during the games.
Staff at Amberwood House embodied a playful spirit by donning costumes relevant to the initial letter of their names.
This resulted in Companionship Team Leader Kirsty Richmond-Cole becoming a kite, Clinical Lead Hanna Rehbein transforming into a hot dog, and similar antics from colleagues across the board.
Mr Harold Faircloth, Ms Wendy Barnes, and Mr Peter Prior from Bourne View were among the early entrants, who spent their pre-game time enjoying a quiet walk around Amberwood House's garden alongside a fish and chips lunch.
Amberwood House comprised three teams, including residents Ms Marjorie Hutchings, Ms Rita Bryant, and Ms Noreen Hewitt, who had a close contest with their Bourne View opponents.
In parallel, Woodpeckers hosted several games, some of which involved family members, friends, and other residents.
With the most victories, the resident's team, composed of Ms. Jo Bray, Ms Pam Welch, and Ms Molly Wolstenholme, emerged triumphant. The festivities extended to Colten Care’s Avon Cliff home in Bournemouth.
National Scrabble Day pays honour to Alfred Mosher Butts, the American architect who introduced the game in 1938.
As of 2008, the game was sold in 121 countries and was available in more than 30 languages.
At least 150 million sets have also been sold worldwide.
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