Arbroath care home opens ‘old-fashioned’ sweetie shop to take residents on nostalgic journey

Kind-hearted staff at an Arbroath care home are providing a trip down memory lane for residents - after opening an ‘old-fashioned’ sweetie shop.

The team at Balhousie Antiquary care home have opened a sweetie shop filled to the brim with candies, chocolates and sherbets for sweet-toothed residents to enjoy.

Fitted with a vintage till and telephone, the space has been aptly named the ‘Old Fashioned Sweet Shop’ and is stocked with sugary treats specifically requested by the residents, from chocolate limes and sherbet lemons to boiled humbugs and liquorice comfits.

By offering their favourite sweets, it is hoped the shop will conjure happy memories for residents of times gone by.

The old-fashioned sweet shop is hugely popular with care home residents.

The nostalgic project was the brainchild of Cheryl Roy, who saw the potential to do something special with what used to be a library area in the home.

“This has been a really exciting project for all the staff and residents watching the transformation of this space in the home that hasn’t been utilised for some time," said Cheryl.

"Our residents and relatives gave us a shopping list of all their favourite sweeties before we stocked up the shop and it was lovely to have their input as this is very much their sweetie shop.

"The shop will be open three days a week and I am sure it will be a great activity. We will also be having some of our residents helping out on the days the shop is open.”

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