This year's Valentines Day was a very special one for one Swindon care home.

Orchid Care Home is located within the community of Haydon Wick and this year it decided to put on a big Valentines Day event for its residents.

The 84-bed home arranged its main hall into a series of tables, decorated the entire place with balloons, love hearts, roses and banners and invited residents to have a three-course Valentine's meal along with their spouses.

Home manager Dawn Drew said: "For people living in care homes it can be difficult to celebrate days like this.

"However at the Orchid Care Home we always do our very best to bring people together.

"Today was special and relatives who spoke to me said that it was a special day and they couldn't thank us enough.

"The team worked tirelessly to ensure the event went well and it was a great success."

The couples enjoyed a soup starter, steak and kidney pie or salmon for main, and an individual cheesecake for pudding.

And to help all of the food and drink go down, there was special entertainment from local musician Neil Patterson who performed while everyone was eating.

The event provided an opportunity for couples to reminisce and share memories as well as create new ones.

The residents made gift sets and valentines cards for their loved ones.

One resident who wished not be named said: "It was a lovely day! A great effort was put into us all spending time together and reminiscing about previous Valentine's Days."

Another resident: "I can't thank the team enough for the effort y they have done to make this a special day for my wife and I."

Orchid Care Home has been rated 'good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and was last inspected fully in December 2020, although a review in July last year turned up no further concerns.

In May last year it celebrated its tenth anniversary of opening in August 2013 in style with Nepalese food and dancers.

During the event the housekeeping team, which is predominantly Nepalese, and even the handyman put on traditional outfits and even led some of the residents in a dance or two.

Musical group the D-Day Dollies also performed some wartime songs for the residents during the celebrations.