To celebrate National Ice Cream Month, leading care home operator New Care brought smiles to its residents and care teams across the UK with a surprise visit from Mr Whippy!

Covering just over 450 miles in two days, the ice cream van visited all 10 New Care homes across Greater Manchester, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Merseyside and Nottinghamshire serving more than 600 classic Mr Whippy 99s in cones or cartons complete with raspberry sauce and a Cadbury Flake.

Delighting everyone including New Care’s employee teams, the visit from Mr Whippy was a conversation starter, with residents reminiscing about their many fond memories of the ice cream van from days-gone-by.

“We used to listen out for the bell and loved a scoop of vanilla in a cornet, it was such a treat,” said Fred Crossley, “My children would hear the van’s merry tune and run to me for some coppers for their ice cream; they loved the red sauce and a flake,” said Ann Chaloner, and, “It’s lovely, it takes me straight back to my childhood,” added Peggy Steib, all residents at New Care’s 81-bed Grosvenor Manor care home in Chester.  “I remember running really fast down the road to go and get one, it was always very exciting,” said Enid, a resident at The Hamptons, New Care’s 76-bed care home in Lytham St Annes.

Chairman at New Care, Dominic Kay, said: “Everyone loves Mr Whippy and when we discovered it was National Ice Cream Month, we wanted to surprise our residents and hard working team members with an impromptu treat.  It was wonderful to see so many smiles and to hear all the fond memories from years ago.”

Part of the McGoff Group, New Care is one of the UK’s leading care home providers.  Its portfolio of purpose-built ‘new generation’ care centres has an enviable reputation for outstanding residential, dementia and 24-hour nursing care that is second to none.  For further information please visit www.newcarehomes.com.