A care home has officially opened its new memorial garden in remembrance of former residents.

The Boynes Care Centre, in Upton upon Severn, held an official ceremony on Tuesday (August 13) attended by members of the team, care home residents, and Upton upon Severn's Mayor, Simon Yates.

Mr Yates said: "My mother was in a care home for a period of time, and this memorial garden is a really good idea.

"The Boynes has always made residents and their families feel at home, and this garden will really help those families who have lost loved ones since.

Work on the memorial garden began in May after leaders within The Boynes Care Centre had developed the idea earlier in the year.

Work on the garden began in May, and families of former residents will place memorial plaques here over the coming weeks. (Image: Newsquest)

The centre's home manager, Nithin Mathew, said: "Sadly we lost seven residents towards the start of this year, and our team was close with their families.

"We thought we should have somewhere in place for those families to remember them and re-live fond memories."

An evergreen tree has been planted in the garden and will be the ultimate destination for memorial plaques for each resident who has died.

Mr Mathew added: "Over the next few weeks we will be contacting families one by one to arrange for them to place a plaque, which we've already ordered, in the garden."

The Boynes' administration manager, Lynsey Bozward, said: "To lose so many big characters in a short space of time really hit the team hard.

"We needed to do something for their families, and this project has been a big team effort."

Resident Jill Whitehouse, who has been at The Boynes since December 2020, said: "It's very nice what the staff do - its always enjoyable here.

"This is a really nice idea, as we would like to be able to remember them."

Care home assistant for Age UK Herefordshire and Worcestershire, Tanya Davies, also attended the opening ceremony. Miss Davies said: "The memorial garden is a unique idea for a care home.

"Families and of each resident will now be able to rekindle that bond and go on that journey together."