CARERS, residents - and even Pudsey Bear - joined in the fun when a Poole care home staged a charity car wash for BBC Children in Need.

The event took place in the car park of the Colten Care, dedicated dementia home, The Aldbury, in Ringwood Road.

Companionship leader, Sarah Louise Ingram - aka Pudsey Bear - said: “We all love raising money for Children in Need and decided we would pitch in and offer to clean our visitors’ cars - and there was certainly no shortage of people wanting to take us up on our offer. Luckily we had our three, regular, Canford School, student helpers in that day and they rolled their sleeves up and got stuck in with us.

“Even two of our residents Mary Lamb and Jack Richardson came out and brandished a sponge for a few minutes – although they soon went back inside to watch us from where it was warm.”

Canford School pupils James Chapman, Rachel Ko and Charlie Berridge, are currently volunteering at The Aldbury as part of their work towards the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Many of Colten Care’s other 19 homes are staging Children in Need events, including a Strictly Come Tea Dance which took place at Lymington Community Centre featuring staff and residents from the company’s Belmore Lodge, Court Lodge and Linden House in Lymington; Kingfishers in New Milton; Woodpeckers in Brockenhurst and Avon Reach in Mudeford and was judged by a panel including Lymington Mayor Anne Corbridge.