CARE homes in Dorset rallied together last year to raise nearly £16,000 for good causes.

Residents and families at eleven Colten Care homes hosted fundraising fetes, coffee mornings, dinners, and raffles.

Meanwhile, team members were encouraged to take part in sponsored events in aid of chosen beneficiaries.

Colten Care owns and runs homes in Dorchester, Ferndown, Sherborne, Blandford, Sturminster Newton, Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and West Moors.

In Dorchester, Castle View raised nearly £1,200 for Cancer Research, Time for a Cuppa, Parkinson’s, Sports Relief, MacMillan Cancer Support and the Weldmar Hospice.

One project at Abbey View, in Sherborne, raised more than £1,100 during the year, with residents making 250 paper poppies to help with a remembrance display at a local flower shop.

Meanwhile, Whitecliffe House in Blandford raised more than £1,000 for the Blandford Parish Church Cupola Project, Breast Cancer Bake Off, Wear it Pink, MacMillan Cancer Support, Children in Need and the RNLI. The home also helped St Margarets Hospice, Somerset flood victims, Macmillan Cancer Support and Children in Need.

Karen Burdon, activities manager at Colten Care, said: “It’s entirely up to our residents which charities we support.

“Once the choice is made, we all get behind it.

“Team members like to take part in sponsored events, such as walks and bike rides, and we enable our residents to contribute directly in meaningful ways such as making arts and crafts to sell at fundraising events.”

Last year’s fundraising across Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire means that Colten Care residents, families and team members have together benefited charities by more than £110,000 in five years.