Resthaven Community Respite Services celebrates 20 years of care and connection
On Friday 24 October 2025, Resthaven Community Respite Services marked a special milestone — its 20th anniversary — with a celebration at Ridgway House in Westbourne Park.
Clients from all Resthaven respite locations, along with their carers, were invited to the festivities, with more than 50 people attending the event.
With a fun ‘country fair’ theme, the front garden was transformed with colourful balloons and bunting, and hay bales scattered across the property for seating. Staff embraced the theme, wearing cowboy hats, and added plenty of humour with ‘Wanted’ posters featuring their own faces displayed throughout the venue.
Guests were greeted at the entrance by Miss Farmer Darcy’s Travelling Farm, where everyone enjoyed meeting the baby goats, alpaca, hen, calf, and guinea pigs.
It was a beautiful, sunny day — perfect for relaxing in the warm weather and enjoying the wonderful spread of food and drinks… including champagne, of course!
Clients Mr and Mrs Graham and Mary Roberts joined the celebration all the way from their home in Clarendon, sharing: ‘It’s such a beautiful day to celebrate — we wouldn’t miss it!’
The couple, married for 60 years, are familiar faces at Hersey Cottage in Marion.
The event was officially opened by Manager Community Services, Daniel Solomons, who welcomed guests and spoke about the significance of Resthaven’s 20-year milestone.
‘It’s a fantastic opportunity to join together and celebrate Community Respite Services,’ Daniel says. ‘We make wonderful memories with each other every day and have built such a lovely community.’
Classic party games—including Ring Toss, Duckie in the Water, Ping Pong Ball Toss, and Tin Can Toss—were set up around the garden, with a table full of prizes adding to the fun.
In the centre of the garden, guests admired artwork created by the ‘Creative Minds’ group, who explore a different artistic theme each week. Their colourful display was a highlight of the day, with guests enjoying looking through the creative and colourful pieces.
Of special interest was the collection of Kinusaiga pieces — a Japanese art form using fabric scraps pressed into slits cut into wood or foam, creating intricate designs without sewing.
Client Mrs Annamaria Peterka shared how meaningful the activity has been for her, sharing: ‘Making the art lightens my mood and helps me relax. It is such a calming activity.’
As the celebration drew to a close, everyone gathered for a group photo under the pergola, and Daniel joined CEO Darren Birbeck to cut the cake. An enormous selection of homemade cakes and slices, thoughtfully homemade by Home Support Workers, ensured everyone had something sweet to enjoy.
Before heading home, guests received special goody bags filled with treats — a perfect way to end a memorable day!
To find out more about the history of Resthaven Community Respite Services, visit Resthaven: A History of Caring. The website captures the history and innovation of Resthaven since its conception at the 1932 South Australian Methodist Conference and the opening of its first home in 1935, through to its current position as a leader in the aged care sector.
