Lianne says yes to the dress designed by care home residents
Elderly residents of a Birmingham care home have rolled back the years to become fashion designers – creating a unique dress that reflects their lives, memories and personalities.
The stunning creation, based on a second-hand wedding dress, is the work of the people living and working at The Oaks in Rubery. It got rave reviews when home manager Lianne Sturmey wore the eye-catching dress to a glittering awards ceremony in London.
The Oaks is part of the EQ Care Group and has become an integral part of the local community in Rubery, offering residents a wide range of activities and opportunities for local people to get involved. Among the activities enjoyed by residents is a ladies swimming club, with participants aged 90 and over, art clubs and cocktail evenings.
Holly Brookes, customer experience lead at The Oaks, explained how the idea of designing a dress for Lianne was embraced by residents.
“People are the heart of everything we do. Lianne has a passion for delivering exceptional care, so it was no surprise to us when she was nominated for ‘Inspirational Care Home Manager of the Year’ at The Stars of Social Care Awards 2025.
“Lianne saw that there was an award for best dressed and she immediately got to thinking about what to wear; how to stand out from the crowd and how to represent The Oaks and the people living here.”
The next morning, she arrived at work and announced that she wanted to wear a dress that featured something special that represented residents and their lives.
“As I have a background in textile design, and access to the relevant facilities, we realised that we could really make something unique and special. Lianne found a gorgeous second-hand wedding dress and it was a perfect fit!”
The next day, the team got to work. They asked residents to all draw or paint something that was important to them. They held multiple painting sessions throughout the next few weeks, as well as assisting people with 1:1 activity.
Holly added: “For people who didn’t want to draw, or struggled with it, we asked their families to get involved. We had someone’s wife give us her cross-stitch so that we could print this on to the dress. We had some families draw emblems and write messages that had special meanings to them and their families. We asked the team to get involved, and to draw things that were special to them.
“The next step was choosing the placement of the motifs. We sat together with people at The Oaks and chose where we wanted to place each motif. I then took it to Birmingham City University where I had access to the relevant facilities needed. Here, I printed the images onto the dress.
“The dress came out beautifully, but we needed some finishing touches. We printed an image of Ted – The Oaks’ beloved pet dog – on to the dress. We then wrote ‘The Oaks’ in rhinestones across the back. We bedazzled Lianne’s shoes with rhinestones, our homemaker team bought Lianne a bag and our head chef made her a beautiful necklace. This is where the excitement truly sank in. Seeing the whole team’s contributions demonstrated the community that we have at The Oaks and made us all so delighted to be part of such a wonderful family.”
Once the dress was completed, it was shown to each individual living and working in the home.
“The reactions were so heartwarming. People were besotted. They were amazed to see something that they had created, something important to them, printed on to something as valuable as a wedding dress. Some people teared up, others had smiles from ear to ear. One thing that was for certain, everyone felt part of something truly unique and special,” added Holly.
Lianne said: “Wearing the dress was something I’ll never forget. At first, it felt like a fun and unique way to celebrate the nomination but as the artwork started coming in, it became so much more. Each painting told a story. It reflected the lives, memories, and personalities of the people who make The Oaks what it is. Seeing it all come together on the dress had a profound impact on me. It reminded me why I do this job, and how lucky I am to be part of such a special community. I didn’t feel like I was just wearing a dress, I felt like I was carrying the heart of our home with me.
“On my journey to the awards, there were train delays, and I was so worried that I wouldn’t make it to the event but it wasn’t because I was sad to miss it, it was because I couldn’t let this amazing artwork go unseen.”
Holly added: “To me, I love that some of the people have drawn or written things that don’t mean anything to us, things that we might not be able to read. However, to them it’s something important and special, and carries great meaning. My favourite part is Jackie’s drawing. Jackie drew/ wrote lines and letters. This didn’t make much sense to us, so I delved deeper. I learnt that she was a medical secretary and used to spend her days writing notes. I love that, after learning this, you can see how her past career has influenced her drawing – the drawing carries a hidden message about Jackie, her personality and her career.”
Opened in 2023, The Oaks is a purpose-built care home offering nursing, nursing dementia, enablement and residential care and support. It offers a welcoming and safe environment with professional, compassionate teams and smart technology to make every day more joyful for residents.
EQ Care Group currently includes five care homes – in Rubery, Telford, Blackburn, Whitchurch-on-Thames and Wigan - with more in the pipeline. Its homes are designed to the highest standards, seamlessly blending with the local community to create a warm, welcoming environment. It works closely with local commissioning teams to offer a wide range of care and support, tailored to the unique needs of each individual.
