Buxton care home residents mark National Tea Day with tasting event to choose their own bespoke blend

The event at Branksome care home, on St John's Road, was held by Four Seasons Heath Care Group to choose a new tea blend which will be served across all 180 of its homes.

On the tasting menu were three blends specially crafted for the care home by Tameside business Tea From The Manor: a caffeine-free chamomile and rose, alongside the more traditional black tea blends, Blue Lady and Rose Congou.

Branksome manager Kate Riches said: “Our residents love a cuppa morning, noon and night. Tea brings us all together and by creating our own special blend, chosen by our residents, it brings new meaning to our special tea moments and celebrates coming through the pandemic.”

Research commissioned by Four Seasons suggests that 63 per cent of the nation’s tea drinkers have turned to a cuppa to help them through three national lockdowns, while 38 per cent found themselves making a cup more often to help them through the tough times.

The company estimates that its own residents have sipped their way through nearly 12 million cups of tea during the pandemic year, making them connoisseurs of a good brew.

The popularity of the tea round led Four Seasons to organise a popular vote so residents had the power to choose what goes into their tea chest.

The event also served to launch the company’s new tea lovers club, which will add a new strand to its regular activities programme.

Chief tea taster, resident Patricia Algeo, 90, says: “A good cup of tea is all you need to lift your spirits. We drink tea all day long and we’ve lived long enough to know there’s nothing it can’t make better.”

The winning blend from the tea tasting event will be announced shortly and launched across the company.

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