Activities at Overslade House Care Home

Staff and residents at Overslade House were treated to a fun-packed hour in the company of choir leader and vocal coach to the stars, Dan Cooper, who taught them to sing two feel-good Christmas classics: ‘Step into Christmas’ by Elton John and ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham!

In partnership with Biiah, Dan delivers regular singing events through their virtual platform which encourages people to sing for their wellbeing. A professional choir leader and vocal coach with over 10 years’ experience, Dan runs a successful choir; Love Soul Choir, and is co-director of a children’s group; Sound Pop Academy. In 2019, his choir performed with Take That. He’s also worked on TV shows as a vocal coach including BBC’s 'Little Mix The Search' and is passionate about the positive impact that singing in a group has on wellbeing. Dan truly believes in the power of singing and wants more people to experience the joy it can bring.

Overslade House got in the Christmas spirit with the first of their Christmas Dinner Outings.

Residents and staff had a wonderful time enjoying their Christmas Dinner at their first meal hosted by Princethorpe College.  Staff and students at the college cooked all the meals and we were served with turkey, roast parsnips, pigs in blankets and some wonderful vegetables, along with mulled wine, sherry, tea, coffee, mince pies and Christmas pudding.  The meal was delicious and were entertained by the school choir also singing Christmas Carols.

Wayna, resident at Overslade House said: “We have all had the most wonderful time visiting Princethorpe College.  How lovely to be able to visit places like this, when we pulled up it looked like Hogwarts from Harry Potter, it has made us all feel so Christmassy!”

Corridors were filled with Carols at Overslade House as the community came together to celebrate Christmas with a Brass Band concert.

Staff and residents at Overslade House invited the local community, friends and relatives to come and join in with a carol concert with some festive Christmas favourites.  The Carols were led by the Salvation Army Brass Band

There was mulled wine, hot chocolate, and mince pies along with lots of other Christmas treats all prepared by head chef, Joanne Kolat-Furca.

Dot, resident at Overslade House said: “That was absolutely wonderful, thank you so much, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the Salvation Army Brass band followed by a glass of wine and a mince pie”

Overslade House commemorated the signing of the Armistice Day agreement on the day that the guns finally fell silent.  They joined the rest of the United Kingdom in holding a two-minute silence at the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month.

As well as marking Armistice Day by wearing poppies and observing the national two minute silence, residents took part in a service conducted by Gift of Years.

Following the service residents were entertained by vintage entertainer Nick Golden.  Nick took us back in time to listen to sounds of Spitfires in battle and the taking off of a Lancaster bomber. Nick sings some lovely war time songs including Mr Hitler the theme tune from Dad’s Army.

Nathan, a resident at Overslade House, said: “It is very important that we keep the memories of those who fought alive and that we also think about those involved in conflicts around the world today.  I myself was in the army”

Many of our residents remember the war and wrote a poem to commemorate the fallen.

The residents at Overslade House, in recognition of the Scottish Celebration to mark St Andrew’s Day on Thursday 30th November, took a trip to St Andrew’s Church to decorate our Christmas tree and to honour Jesus’ first disciple who promoted kindness and is laid to rest in Edinburgh.  The main purpose of this event is to raise funds for charities that support the local community. This year we shall be supporting Rugby Myton Hospice who are raising funds to create a new sensory area. Residents at Overslade House have been busy over the last few weeks making decorations out of Toilet Rolls, Tin Lids, Plastic Bottles, milk cartons and old cd's.

This year the theme is ‘Green Christmas - reduce, reuse, and recycle’. The idea behind this is recycling items from home so that costs can be kept to a minimum by those entering a tree. This theme fits with the cost of living issues together with the Church’s Eco Values.

Residents had a wonderful time creating all the decorations from recycled materials in their Arts and Crafts sessions within the home.  Everything on our tree is handmade and from recyclable materials the balloons are also biodegradable.

Eve, a resident at Overslade House Care Home, said: “It was so lovely to celebrate St Andrew’s Day and be in such a beautiful church in Rugby that I used to visit regularly.  I have learnt so much about Scotland today, I had no idea St Andrew wasn’t actually Scottish!”

The Trees will be on view to the public until the 2nd January so please call into the Church and donate to a worthy cause

Residents at Overslade House had a brilliant day on Sunday 12th November as they marked the start of the Hindu festival of Diwali, popularly known as the ‘festival of lights’.

Residents helped with making colourful patterned rangoli and lighting ‘diyas’, small oil lamps which are lit to signify the triumph of good over evil. Diwali honours Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, the lamps help Lakshmi find her way into people’s homes. Volunteers Mithan and Mithra, conducted a talk about Diwali and performed some Indian Classical dancing for us.

Head chef Joanne Kolat-Furca prepared traditional Indian dishes including a range of warming curries, spicy samosas, crispy bhajis and papadums with lime pickle and chutneys followed by traditional Indian sweets such as laddoo and barfi for the residents to enjoy.

John resident at Overslade House Care Home commented: “I love all of the different cultural events that we celebrate here, there’s always something going on.  I especially like the religious festivals from other cultures and sampling the wonderful food.  It makes me feel like I am travelling abroad!”