Sutton care home staff swim with sharks

Throughout the last 12 months staff and residents have taken part in a wide range of challenges such as escape rooms, canoe racing, zip wire challenges, go kart races and lazer tag to name just a few and the care home with the most points over the year then got a spa day and treatments but the losing team had to swim swim with sharks.

Sutton Lodge, the groups specialised dementia home won the spa day with Home Manager Angela Haskey leading her team to victory. Sutton Manor received the lowest overall points out of all the care homes in the Ashmere group so five of their staff volunteered to face their fears and dive with sharks.

Despite their initial trepidation, the staff who took part all had an absolute blast and said it was "an absolutely amazing experience". None of the group had done diving before and none were particularly keen on ocean animals so had all been feeling very nervous before they set off.

They were in an enclosed sea water tank with 14 black tip and lemon sharks all ranging from 2 to 4 foot in length. The staff had a morning training session to ensure they were safe to dive before they went in with the sharks. All the staff who volunteered passed their initial training and went onto the real dive with their instructor.

After completing the dive they all felt hugely proud of themselves and were so glad they took part. The staff, all from Sutton Manor of priestsic road in Sutton in Ashfield have been showing the residents the photos and videos from their dive. The residents were very relieved this was a staff only challenge but thought they had all been very brave!

As the final prize and punishment have now taken place, a new round of competitions is about to begin in all the Ashmere Homes starting with a team raft building challenge! All staff are welcome to take part and they often have residents take part where possible.