At St Stephen’s Care Home, a recent celebration brought something a little unexpected through the doors, and it is safe to say it was a day to remember…
As part of our wider celebrations for the Chinese New Year of the Horse, we welcomed miniature ponies Lollipop and Moomin from Lollipop Pony Parties. From the moment they arrived, there was a noticeable lift in the atmosphere, with smiles appearing almost instantly as our wonderful residents, team, friends and family gathered to meet them.
What made the visit especially lovely was the care taken to make sure everyone could be part of it. The ponies spent time not only in our main activity area, but also in the upstairs lounge and visiting residents in their rooms, allowing individuals to enjoy the experience in a way that felt comfortable and personal. Kath enjoyed meeting them in her bedroom, while residents including Ann, Patricia, Brian, Rosemary, Audrey and Jeanne all had the chance to spend time with them too.
Here are just a few photos we managed to capture from the day:

If you want to see more from our special pony visit, you can find more photos here on our Facebook page where we share all of our special moments here at St Stephen’s Care Home.
Our residents enjoyed feeding Lollipop and Moomin pieces of carrot, gently interacting with the animals and taking in the calm, friendly nature they brought with them. For some, it was a reminder of earlier memories. For others, it was simply something joyful and new to experience.
One member of the team shared how lovely it was to see residents come alive while spending time with the ponies, something many of us felt throughout the day.
It was one of those visits that brought a real sense of warmth to the home. Simple, uplifting and full of genuine moments.
At St Stephen’s Care Home, creating experiences like this is an important part of life here. Finding new ways to bring happiness, connection and a little magic into the day for our residents always matters to us.
