RESIDENTS at a Redditch care home are embarking on ‘virtual’ cruise trips to banish the holiday blues.

Throughout July and August, residents at Brambles Residential Care Home, are exploring traditional flavours and cultures from around the world.

With their boarding passes in hand, the ‘passengers’ of the Birchfield Road cruise-liner will be enjoying a virtual holiday of a lifetime, where they will experience authentic excursions including Portuguese port tasting and Azulejos tiles creating.

Other highlights include turning their hands to sangria making in Spain, re-creating their own Monet masterpiece while they soak up the art culture in France and hosting their very own Maltese ‘Feast of St Paul Shipwreck’ festival.

Fiona Morsy, activities coordinator, said: “The Sanctuary Care Cruise is our opportunity to inspire and engage our fabulous residents, while transporting them away from Redditch.

“Our travel calendar is literally bursting at the seams as we have so much to look forward, including dancing, crafting, painting, baking, tasting, drawing, quizzing, learning and celebrating. We are even hosting our own Maltese and Cypriot festivals, right in the heart of our home.

“For many of our residents the exciting excursions will be new experiences to enjoy, while for others it will likely provoke beautiful memories of when they travelled with loved ones, and we can’t wait to celebrate both as we come together to create these magical moments with them.”

93-year-old resident Elizabeth Wreford said: “We have visited Lisbon already and all the photos are just magical. And the excursions are great too, my personal highlight for Portugal was the port tasting.”