BBC News. We forget too easily about people who are in care homes for the elderly; and sometimes young people who have sustained brain injury or for other reasons. Think about this.

Posted on February 28, 2025 by michelleclarke2015

Banksy the alpaca brings excitement to care home residents

21 September 2024ShareSave

Shariqua Ahmed

BBC News, Peterborough

Shariqua Ahmed / BBC Valerie wearing a black and white T-shirt laughing while feeding a brown alpaca
Valerie Howes said she was a big animal lover and “loved” interacting with the alpacas

Residents at a care home have spent an afternoon with some unusual visitors – a group of alpacas, including one called Banksy.

Gorefield Alpacas farm based near Wisbech in Cambridgeshire brought in five male alpacas to Cherry Blossom Care home in Walton, Peterborough.

Laura Robinson, who works at the care home, said the facility is keen to offer more animal therapy interactions to its residents, and that alpacas in particular have a “calming presence and help in reducing stress”.

One of the residents, Valerie Howes, was hugging an alpaca called Banksy and said she was “very excited” to have them around.

Ms Robinson said: “The petting of animals is really good to help with their blood pressure. It reduces stress and has a calming effect.

“The alpacas provide emotional and physical support for our residents. They have brought a real sense of purpose to their day.

“We are trying to bring in a pet therapy every month. We are looking to start a canine café from November and looking forward to welcoming the community to it.”

Very special

The three-floor care home looks after people with residential, nursing and dementia needs.

Some residents who were too poorly to come to the garden were visited by the fluffy animals inside their rooms.

Natalie Crompton, liaison manager at the care, said: “You can see their faces have lit up. We don’t see them like this normally.”

Other care staff who were helping residents to feed the alpacas said the animals have “made their day very special”.

Shariqua Ahmed / BBC Laura in a blue shirt with a residents wearing a white cardigan and Natalie in black and white dress.
Staff at the Cherry Blossom Care Home said they will be having more animal therapy sessions for the residents
Shariqua Ahmed / BBC Diana wearing a purple cardigan- sitting on a wheelchair feeding a white alpaca
Diana Ward said she ‘enjoyed’ the alpaca experience

Diana Ward, another resident at the care home, said she did not know what to expect from the animals.

“I have managed to feed some of them and stroke one of them.

“I am having a wonderful time now. They are supposed to be relaxing.

“I think it would be nice to have more events like these. We had a dog show a few weeks ago and that was very nice. So, we would welcome such events.”

Shariqua Ahmed / BBC Alpacas inside a steel boundary with residents and staff members looking over them
Residents said they had a ‘wonderful time’ with the alpacas

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The Cambridgeshire-based farm which breeds the South-American animal said demand for alpaca therapy has seen a rise, and so far this year, they have taken their animals for about 25 visits.

The farm, which has a herd of 48 alpacas, also organises alpaca walks and meet-and-greets with the animals.

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About michelleclarke2015

Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
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