A CARE home in Blackbird Leys is hoping to reach out to the community by hosting a series of events over the coming weeks.

Longlands care home in Balfour Road has space for about 47 people and The Orders of St John Care Trust, which runs the facility, is hoping to open it up so more people can visit the residents.

Luciano Thomas, the care trust’s family liaison co-ordinator for Oxfordshire, is organising the events.

He said: “My role at the care home is trying to get good community involvement and building and developing sustainable relationships between the residents of the care home and the community.

“Some of our residents really don’t have family although they have been living on the Blackbird Leys estate all their lives.

“There has been a lot of media coverage about the chronic loneliness of the elderly and I want to open the care home to the public and to promote transparency about what the home does.

“Getting those relationships going is my motivation.”

One of the events organised is a food carnival on Friday, November 29.

The free event, held between 6.30pm and 8.30pm, will feature foods from Africa, Europe and Asia as well as a DJ.

Mr Thomas has also organised regular coffee mornings on Tuesdays between 10.30am and noon where members of the public can drop by and talk to residents.

He said: “I have been in touch with the local library and with local businesses to try and get that interaction going.

“Someone from the library is already coming in to do reading sessions.

“Having that interaction and stimulation allows for the progression of dementia to slow down and we do these activities alongside music therapy.

“There is a stereotype of what a care home is and I would like to change that stereotype.”

To attend the food carnival, call 01865 779224 as space is limited.