Friends, family and even Stevenage’s mayor turned out for the opening of a tea and sensory room last week.

Staff are hoping the new rooms at Pinelodge care home in Graveley will help residents affected by dementia regain some of their independence.

Home manager Sophia Roxas said: “This is very important to a lot of us. I want to thank all the staff and relatives for their hard work. For our residents living with dementia this is just the start of what we are doing.”

The sensory room is full of lights and other colourful objects for the 92 people who live in the Graveley Road home to appreciate and relax in.

The tea room, called Forget Me Not, was painted and renovated with donations from residents’ relatives and local companies and was the brainchild of senior care assistant Marion Kallmann.

Naomi Bradford’s grandmother Margaret McCree lives at the home and she paid tribute to Marion’s dedication. She said: “This wouldn’t have happened without Marion and we all want to say a massive thank you to her. It is so important to give people with dementia independence and this is a step in that direction.”

Stevenage mayor Howard Burrell said: “It is important to look after older people. It is going to come to us all at one point after all.

“These are wonderful people and they need care and comfort in the right sort of environment and this is it.”