A CARE home in west Dorset are celebrating raising funds to upgrade their sensory room.

Casterbridge Manor, in Cerne Abbas, hosted a 'dress as a star' fundraising day so that the relocate the area into a bigger room.

On the day they managed to raise around £230 through a variety of activities - including a cake sale and a barbecue.

Sophie Wood, home and events co-ordinator at Casterbridge Manor, explained the importance of having a sensory room.

She said: "It works really well for people with dementia and those sort of conditions. There's one section of the room which is for 'light', you've got 'sound' with music and a piano, 'scent' with just really nice smelling stuff and on another side there's a whole load of touchy-feely stuff - so there really is something for all the senses."

"We already had a sensory garden and a small sensory room but it definitely wasn't big enough to have all the residents in so we wanted to move that into a big lounge that leads into the garden.

"We did a whole day of fundraising - everyone came in wearing costumes, we had a cake sale - and from that we raised enough money to help upgrade what we've got"

Residents at the nursing home already have mini-replicas of town traditions on-site - with a cinema area, pub, cafe and library all among the offerings.

The sensory room and garden has been going down a treat, though, with both residents and staff.

Sophie said: "We've been using it with a couple of residents just to trial it out but they're absolutely loving it. It's incredibly calming for them and it stimulates a flowing conversation where perhaps it wouldn't have flown before. They are able to pick up on the things they are touching and those key-words are then able to lead on to a conversation.

"This room is so much better, bigger and brighter than what we had before and obviously it leads out to the sensory garden where we're growing mint, parsley, tomatoes so it's really beneficial for them."