AN innovative scheme harnessing the power of chickens to combat loneliness and depression among the elderly has been honoured at an awards ceremony.
The HenPower project was launched in 2013 by Douglas Hunter and there are now 700 pensioners looking after hens in 20 North-East care homes.
Members of the scheme, dubbed ‘hensioners’, have even designed their own coops and have chosen rare breeds to buy at auction.
Care home staff have reported a reduction in the use of antipsychotic medication when the hens are present in the pensioners’ lives.
The project was awarded the TSB Community Partner Award at this week’s inaugural Pride of the North-East awards held at Newcastle Civic Centre.
Andy Armitage, regional branch distribution director at TSB, said: “We feel HenPower is a very deserving winner – such a simple, lovely idea, executed brilliantly and genuinely helping bring a little bit of joy back in to the lives of the elderly suffering from loneliness and depression”.
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