At Aveley Lodge Care Home, we are passionate about supporting local charities because we know they matter to our residents, staff and our visitors and make a huge difference in the community we serve.

Over the years, we have raised thousands of pounds which has helped support various charities including:

• The British Legion
• MacMillan
• The Alzheimer’s Society
• HistioUK
• Cancer Research UK
• Worldwide Fund For Nature (WWF)
• Children in Need
• Red Nose Day

We have collected thousands of used stamps for, and sponsored puppies at, charities such as Nowzad Dogs, Guide Dogs for the Blind and Canine Partners.

Our residents knit and natter group often make hats and booties for the babies in Special Care at our local hospital, blankets for a local homeless charity and blankets and knitted toys for a local Cats Protection charity. We support our local Church here in Fingringhoe by sponsoring the Tree of Light every Christmas and, in 2022, we were the main official sponsor of the Fingringhoe Village Platinum Jubilee Charity Event in support of St Helena Hospice.

In order to support and promote community relationships spanning multi-generations between our residents and children, we maintain strong links with Fingringhoe Primary School here in Fingringhoe whose pupils visit us several times a year and their visits are always enjoyed by our residents. In the past, we have also collaborated with Market Field School in Elmstead Market, Oxford House School in Lexden, and St Lawrence Primary School in Rowhedge. We are also supported at times, by the local pre-school groups who visit us with their pre-school children and prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic, a local Brownie pack as well as Exploring Educational Opportunities (EEO) in conjunction with Refugee Action Colchester.

In May 2021, we were delighted to welcome Karen Penny to Aveley Lodge, who is aiming to become the first woman to walk around the British and Irish coastlines and is devoting almost four years of her life to raising money and awareness for Alzheimer’s Research UK. We had heard she was due to complete the stretch incorporating Fingringhoe, so we invited her to stop by for socially distanced tea and cake in the courtyard to which she jumped at the opportunity. After a much-needed rest and greeting staff and residents through the window, she was on her way again! In July 2021, we were proud to support the local charity GO4 Enterprises “Cafe on the Rec” 2022 calendar and helped raise £1,880 which made a huge difference to those most in need within our local community.

In August 2021, Aveley Lodge Care Home became the proud corporate sponsor of a child through the charity Teach A Child – Africa, a voluntary organisation and registered charity, founded in 2007 in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. They help orphaned children in Africa by providing school fees, uniforms and other essentials so they may attend secondary school and escape from a life of poverty.

In September 2021, we were thrilled to be accepted as a Platinum Investor of The Essex Wildlife Trust, a charity popular amongst our residents and their families. Our residents also planted a wildflower meadow border to support the Essex Wildlife Trusts “Action for Insects” 2021 campaign.

In September 2022 we became an official sponsor of Juno followed by Cooper in 2023, both Canine Partner’s puppies in training to become future assistance dogs.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” Helen Keller

Our chosen charity though that we predominantly fundraise for is The Isobel Parmenter Memorial Fund, a special named fund attached to the charity The Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (registered charity number 1182637). This cause is very close to our hearts as Isobel was the much-loved daughter of Business Co-Owner Michael Parmenter and Administrator and PR Manager Suzanne, and Niece to Co-Business Owner and Finance Manager, Deborah Blick. Isobel sadly passed away in October 2014 aged only 22 months old from a rare cancer called Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH). For further details about the fund and the charity please watch the video opposite and visit www.cclg.org.uk/Isobel-Parmenter-Memorial-Fund

With the love, help and support of the residents, their families and our fantastic staff team by participating in cake sales, theme days, high teas, “wear a funny hat” day, barn dances, 10k runs to the extreme of skydiving, they have all helped us raise to date over £40,000 in memory of Isobel for her fund and other related charities such as HistioUK, Cancer Research UK, East Anglian Children’s Hospices and Well Child. Suzanne and Michael Parmenter were runners up in the “Community Champions Award” at the Pride of Essex Awards in November 2015 for their fundraising efforts, an achievement they are highly proud of.

On the 28th September 2017, the Business Co-owner Michael Parmenter and his nephew Jake Blick successfully summited Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania raising just under £5,000 for the Isobel Parmenter Memorial Fund. On 25th March 2018, Michael completed the first ever London Half Marathon for “Make a Wish Foundation” raising just under £500 and then on 22nd April 2018, he also successfully completed the prestigious London Marathon in 6 Hours 30 minutes, raising just over £1,579 in memory of Isobel.

In May 2018, Michael, Suzanne and Deborah were runners up at the Essex County Council Who Will Care? Awards 2018 for the Business Award in recognition for making an impact on their local community through volunteering and charity work and were finalists at the National Family Business Awards 2018 for the Big Heart award, again, for their charity work.