Blakelands Lodge Care Home Hosts Weekly Chatty Café to Combat Loneliness
By Community Correspondent
Blakelands Lodge Care Home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, opens its doors each week for its much-loved Chatty Café—a warm and welcoming community event aimed at tackling loneliness and fostering connections.
Held every Tuesday from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm in the care home’s charming vintage tearoom, the Chatty Café offers free entry, homemade refreshments, and a variety of engaging activities, including games, quizzes, and entertainment.
On the final Tuesday of each month, the home also hosts a Dementia Café, providing support for people living with dementia and their carers through guest speakers and specially designed activities.
The initiative began over two years ago after conversations with the local GP surgery highlighted a shortage of community spaces for those experiencing loneliness.
Since then, the Chatty Café has flourished into a vibrant hub where residents, visitors, and volunteers gather to share conversation, laughter, and companionship.
Hayley Lant, Front of House Manager at Blakelands Lodge Care Home, said:
“Our residents absolutely love meeting new people, and it’s wonderful to see friendships forming. It’s not just our residents who benefit, the wider community enjoys a safe, welcoming space to connect, and we’ve seen a real difference in people’s wellbeing.”
The Chatty Café forms part of the UK’s leading social enterprise addressing loneliness, offering face-to-face meetups, online sessions, and a telephone friendship service.
Blakelands Lodge is proud to support this mission locally, helping ensure that no one has to face loneliness alone.
Everyone is welcome to join the Chatty Café, whether visiting for the first time or attending regularly.
Visit Blakelands Lodge Care Home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, to discover more about life at the home and experience the caring, vibrant community that makes it truly special.
