Celebrating life at Barchester

Residents and family visitors enjoyed an energetic and beautiful start to the new year with a performance by the South Thames Trio. Many residents wanted to listen to music and more and more people streamed in and all the places were taken. They performed the Waltz of the Flowers by Tchaikovsky, Eine Kleine Nachtmusic, movement 1, a Jazz Suite by Shostakovich, amongst others. The music was beautifully performed and energetic. 

The concert finished with a Hungarian dance by Brahms. After the performance, residents enjoyed a social exchange with the musicians, who trained at the Royal School of Music, where one of our respite residents also  used to teach. As the pieces were well-known, everyone knew the melody already and enjoyed the music all the more!

The musicians said how much they loved playing at Atfield House for this lovely audience!
What an uplifting introduction to the new year 2025!

Every year around this time, the dulcet tones of Elvis Presley start to emerge from residents’ rooms as their ears prick up to hear Elvis’s songs during staff preparations for his birthday celebrations. 

“Blue Christmas”, “Can’t Help Falling in Love”, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” and “If Every Day Was Like Christmas” are just a few Elvis Christmas songs that we cherish and love to celebrate. Elvis was an all-round entertainer, so not only did we celebrate listening to his fantastic songs, but we sat and enjoyed his movies as well.  

We had microphones and guitars as props and everyone got into the swing of things.  There seemed to be magic in the air when Elvis sings and, as you can see, we all joined in and the air was full of excitement and harmonious tunes. After all the songs were sung, we sat and watched one of Elvis’s many movies with our afternoon tea.

We had such an exciting Friday morning when Bluebell Park invited a very interesting and infectiously inspiring person by the name of Rob Neil into our home in January.  Rob is the Historian of Spondon Historical Society, which was formed by a group of friends in 1982 and has, over the past years, collected a large and fascinating amount of old photographs, documents, maps and other items which, together, tell the story of Spondon Village and the surrounding areas of Derby through the years.

Many of our residents used to live in the local and surrounding villages and mention very fondly about places they have been and schools they went to and also buildings such as picture halls and dance clubs. Where they met their husband or wife and the hospitals where they gave birth to their children. All these places have a special memory for them.

The expressions and looks on our residents’ faces mean so much to their friends and families. The excitement and interest when they try and work out what the item used to be used for and the sudden realisation that they had one of these items many, many years ago. This is when the memories come flooding back, and they want to tell you so desperately they had one of these ancient objects and what they used it for.

Special things happen when we invite the W.I. to Bluebell Park. As you can see, it was a bright and beautiful day and everyone was in good spirits.  The tea and coffee were flowing and all sorts of home bakes were available.

From colouring pictures using pencils, paint or wax crayons to getting the perfect finish required to produce beautiful artistic pictures to display in our private rooms. We also have an abundance of stickers which are the favourites of some of our ladies.  

The W.I may be here at Bluebell Park to create masterpieces, but we also love to chat and make new friends when new faces appear.  Our long-standing relationship with the W.I. is a comforting feeling for our residents, as these ladies have an abundance of time and experience to share with us and always a comfy shoulder to lean on. Learning what is happening in the village and at church is always an interesting time for our Bluebell Park residents.

Who doesn't love the sound of little-ones having fun. Intergenerational play is so important to both our residents and the children. They form beautiful bonds through not just words but actions, movement and touch alone. It is great to see everyone having a great time we cant wait to welcome them back again.

Braeburn lodge would love to introduce you all to our new resident therapy tortoise. Her name is Armani, and she is 54 years young. She will be doing regular therapy trips around the home where the residents, staff and visitors can all love on her. 

She is incredibly friendly and loves her shell being ticked, which, believe it or not, she can feel, their shells are extremely sensitive. After her trip today, she enjoyed a warm bath as, as you can see, she's a messy eater. Resident George said "isn't she a beauty"!

Braeburn Lodge welcomed back the amazing duo for something a little different. Individual room performances for our nursing community where Boots n Strings played acoustic guitar and sang a variety of songs which had the residents dancing and singing along. 

This was such a special day as every resident in the community was able to enjoy some fantastic live entertainment performed especially for them with songs and music they'd like to hear. Janet said "it’s amazing, I loved it so much it made me cry with joy"!

Braeburn Lodge welcomed the new year by hosting our own party. We had the amazingly talented Julie Fox sing live for us. She had everyone singing and dancing and the residents were blown away at her performance. 

We welcomed friends and family to join in the celebrations, and it was definitely the best way to end 2024. The kitchen team made a scrummy cheese board and everyone tucked in, accompanied by a glass of wine or sherry.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and supported us. What a way to end a fantastic year!

What an incredible day at Fairview! Our residents were delighted by a fantastic visit from The Puppet Gang, featuring special appearances from none other than Charlie Chaplin, Elton John, and Elvis (to name a few)!

There was plenty of singing, dancing, and laughter as everyone got up close and personal with the amazing puppets. It was truly a joy to see so many smiles and hear the sounds of happiness fill the room all afternoon. A big thank you to the Puppet Gang for creating such a magical experience for us all!

Our lovely Peggy told us that she wished she could go outside and build a snowman! Peggy decided that it was too cold to go outside so we brought some snow inside for her to build a snowman! 

Peggy’s face lit up when she saw the snow and immediately started with her snowman. She said it looked like a pug and called it Fuzzy! 

Our other residents also enjoyed touching the snow and laughing at our beautiful little Fuzzy!

We had an amazing time celebrating all things country and western with a special nod to the Queen of Country herself, Dolly Parton! From cowboy hats to line dancing and delicious Southern-inspired food, it was an afternoon full of fun, movement and great music.

Thank you, Cecilia, for teaching us how to line dance! We also celebrated our wonderful Activities Team for the outstanding work they are doing at Fairview! Your dedication, creativity, and hard work bring so much joy, enrichment, and meaningful moments to everyone here at Fairview!

This week, care homes across the country have been celebrating National Activity Providers and Professional Week between January 20th to January 24th. This is the time to show gratitude to those who work to engage, entertain, and enhance the lives of residents in their care.

Residents and staff came together to recognise the hard work that Lead Activities Coordinator Penny puts into every day for her creativity, compassion and commitment to bringing joy, enrichment and connection to all our residents at Alice Grange.

The General Manager, Raciel, presented Penny with a certificate and some gifts and personally thanked Penny for all that she does for not only the residents but also their family and staff of Alice Grange.

The residents like to bake, and we try lots of different recipes that the residents used to cook at home. 

This month we have been baking pizzas with a choice of toppings. 

From cheese and tomato to tuna and sweetcorn. The smell of freshly cooked pizza had all our mouths watering. 

The residents like to play scrabble with one another. 

It is important to keep the games that they would play at home going now that Oak Grange is their new home. 

We like to spend an afternoon playing and seeing who can come up with the best word.

Although it's not the time of year for the residents to be planting outside, we thought we would bring the garden inside by planting some indoor flowers. 

The residents enjoyed feeling the different textures of flowers and compost, which brought a sense of nature indoors.

We look forward to continuing our indoor gardening adventures and can't wait to see our plants thrive and bloom!

For nearly a year, we have discussed purchasing fish tanks for the home and all residents agreed they would love to see them because they are peaceful and nice to look at. 

We have had 2 fish tanks installed and residents are over the moon with them. They sit and look at them for ages just enjoying looking at all the beautiful colours and variety of fish. 

Residents at Laurel bank had talked about having a night out at a restaurant, so we made sure that happened. We had a trip to an Indian restaurant and the food was delicious. 

Karen Sheehan, a resident at Laurel Bank, enjoyed the seafood sizzler. We are looking forward to our next trip to a Thai restaurant.

When its rainy outside and you fancy a chat and a cuppa with a friend then what better place. Mill Court's group is expanding. Everyone is currently making blankets for the Cats Protection a charity that is close to residents hearts. But you don't have to be a resident to join in just a friendly ear and a willingness to learn. We love to see new faces.

Laurel bank has started a baby group for parents and young children to come along and spend time with our residents and also to have a break, and so they can meet new people. 

We have lots of toys, books, music, teddies for all children to enjoy. 

Meadow Park was full of smiles as we welcomed Cookie the dog for a special visit for International hug day! Residents enjoyed cuddles, belly rubs, and plenty of tail-wagging fun with our fury guest.

Cookie’s gentle nature and playful energy brought so much happiness to everyone. It was a heart-warming day filled with laughter and the simple joys that only a dog can bring. 

Meadow Park was in full bloom as we celebrated International Flower Day with a creative and colourful afternoon! Residents enjoyed making their own beautiful bouquets, choosing from a variety of vibrant flowers to design their perfect arrangement. 

The fun didn’t stop there – we also got crafty, creating flower-inspired decorations and sharing stories about our favourite blooms and gardens. The room was filled with the lovely scent of fresh flowers and plenty of smiles as everyone embraced their artistic side.

It was a truly uplifting day, bringing a touch of nature and creativity to brighten our January. 

It was game on at Meadow Park as we hosted our very own Darts Championship! Residents showed off their impressive aim and competitive spirit in a fun and friendly tournament. The cheers and encouragement from everyone made the event truly special.

Our champion was crowned after a thrilling final match, and everyone agreed it was a brilliant way to spend the day. The event was full of camaraderie, laughter, and some incredible dart skills – well done to all who took part! 

Meadow Park was all shook up as we celebrated Elvis Presley’s birthday in style! Residents enjoyed an afternoon of classic hits, singing along to favourites like Jailhouse Rock and Can’t Help Falling in Love, complete with balloon games and Elvis impersonations that had everyone giggling. 

It was a fantastic day of music, memories, and a whole lot of rock ‘n’ roll spirit! From an Elvis quiz to refresh our recollections to a full-blown sing-a-long, happy birthday from Meadow Park to the King of Rock' n Roll.

We rang in the New Year with a fabulous party at Meadow Park! Residents enjoyed an afternoon filled with music, dancing, and delicious treats to start 2025 on a high note. 

After a morning of reflection of the year past and making resolutions for the year ahead, we were keen to let loose and party the night away.

The room was filled with laughter and joy as we celebrated together, and it was wonderful to see everyone enjoying the festive spirit. 

Residents at Epsom Beaumont care home enjoyed going for a ride in the minibus to Epsom downs. Everyone kept warm with a nice cup of tea, and they enjoyed the beautiful views of Epsom Downs racecourse. 

Madge said “It was so lovely to go out for a drive in our minibus and stop off and enjoy a hot drink while looking over the downs with my friends at Epsom Beaumont. We all had a lovely morning chatting and sharing our memories of Epsom Downs.”

We enjoy going to the Conquest Art Group in Stoneleigh, which is a group that aims to encourage people to get creative and develop their artistic skills in a friendly atmosphere. The group meet every Monday from 2pm-4pm at Stoneleigh Methodist Church, where they have the opportunity to get creative while enjoying some company along with cups of tea and cake. 

Cliff, a resident at Epsom Beaumont, said “I have really been enjoying coming along to the Conquest Art Group, socialising with people in the community and painting, drawing and making cards. I always enjoy and look forward to going to the conquest art group”  

We went out for a lovely lunch at Epsom Social Club and were surprised to bump into local snooker player, Jimmy White! Jimmy White MBE is a professional snooker player who has won four senior World titles. We were even lucky enough to have our picture taken with the ‘whirlwind’ snooker player. 

David, a resident at Epsom Beaumont, said “I was enjoying my lunch at the social club, and then spotted Jimmy White! I couldn’t believe it! I was delighted to be able to have a picture with him, what a lovely genuine man he is, and what a great afternoon we had”.
 

All you need is a pair of binoculars and a bird identification book.

Bird-watching is one of the most relaxing and rewarding pastimes that practically anyone can do. For our residents in their golden years, it comes with extra benefits because it gently keeps the mind active and alert while encouraging a focus on the beauty of nature.

With great enthusiasm, Brian, Mary, David and Heather ventured outside on this chilly day for a spot of birdwatching.  The aim being to spot robins, cardinals, blue jays, sparrows and finches.

David (Resident Ambassador) stated, “Oh well, we did see three crows and one pigeon, perhaps we shouldn’t have brought the cat with us!”

A lovely afternoon of music and food today at Hunters. We were joined by the amazing Eloise Murby Event Singer who sang a collection of beautiful classical pieces along with some old favourites. 

All washed down with delicious cheese, biscuits and wine. It was wonderful to see so many residents enjoying themselves. 

A great time had by all, with everyone singing along together.

As part of our weekly mini-bus trip schedule we had to add in shopping trips! Many of our ladies love to go shopping and you can't beat a bit of M&S. 

One of our residents used to work at M&S and loves to go back and feel like she did back then, and another lady used to go every Sunday with her partner and loved that she got to go again and reminisce over her great times she had there. 

All the ladies loved to look around the new clothes and the food hall and may have treated themselves to a few treats to bring home.