RESIDENTS at Cepen Lodge Care Home donned hats of all shapes and sizes for a Mad Hatter inspired tea party last week in aid of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

Dozens of residents, family and staff got in the party spirit at the Chippenham care home on Friday to celebrate the National Care Home Open Day and raise some much-needed cash in the process and activities coordinator Ali Dyer believes it was a roaring success.

"It was national care home open day on Friday and we wanted to do something a bit different, so we decided to host a Mad Hatters tea party," she said. "Lots of the residents' family came along, as did some of the nurses and the Friends of the Atwell Wilson Motor Museum, who support us as well. I think the Pimms was definitely a good incentive!

"We had a big hamper raffles, stalls, gifts and cars from the Atwell Wilson Motor Museum, which one of our ladies really enjoyed sitting in. The air ambulance also brought their mascot over which was really sweet."

The care home, who hope to raise £1,000 by the end of the year for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, believe they should be up to £400 after this event with a summer garden part in August to follow.