Celebrating life at Barchester

January Employee of the Month Big Congratulations to Kye! 

We are absolutely delighted announce that Kye, one of our youngest team members and a fantastic Host here at Elm Bank, has been nominated our Employee of the Month! Kye was presented with a voucher and certificate from Head Chef Sophie.

Kye was nominated by both our residents and his colleagues, which truly shows the impact he has on everyone in the home. Those who nominated him described him as caring & kind and always going the extra mile with a smile. Nothing is ever too much trouble for him with a calm & professional disposition, Kye remains remarkably composed in a stressful situation, showing maturity beyond his years.

Larisa Bledea General Manager said "Kye is a ray of sunshine in our home, always happy to help and always on hand when someone needs him. We are so lucky to have such dedicated young talent on our team".
 

We are delighted to share a heart‑warming moment from life in our home this week, when our residents enjoyed a truly uplifting session with our monthly dementia‑friendly choir.

From the moment the wonderful Nina Bromham struck the first note, the atmosphere was transformed. Familiar melodies filled the room, voices blended beautifully, and smiles spread from one resident to the next. Music has a remarkable way of unlocking memories and creating connection, and this session was no exception.

This month brought an extra touch of excitement as our residents had the chance to play the drums and join in with the instrumental side of the morning. The rhythmic fun quickly became the highlight of the day, sparking lively conversation around the lunch table as everyone reminisced about their favourite songs and musical moments.

Our dementia‑friendly choir meets on the second Tuesday of every month, offering a warm, informal and welcoming space for anyone who would benefit from shared music and companionship.

 Next session: 10th March, 10:30–11:30am

 RSVP: lotus.manor@barchester.com

This year was the first year that Winchester House celebrated Burns Night as we rarely have any residents or staff that are Scottish or have Scottish heritage.

But this year we did, so we went all out to celebrate the day in style.

Our talented Chef made the Sunday menu all around Scottish food, Haggis, Tatties etc, we even had the residents trying iron brew, we made and also enjoyed eating Scottish shortbread.

In the afternoon we were all treated to come along to listen to some wonderful music with Bagpipes, one of our residents who is Scottish absolutely loved this, it made his day and couldn’t thank the activity staff enough for what we had arranged for everyone.   

We were thrilled to welcome a very special visit from Little Bear Tiney Nursery to celebrate National Hug Day! The home was filled with smiles, laughter and love as residents enjoyed singing, playing, and sharing lots of cuddles with the little ones!

Not only did our visitors give the best real hugs, they also crafted beautiful keepsake hugs for our residents to treasure and keep close

A huge thank you to Little Bear Nursery for bringing so much joy, warmth and magic to our day!

Sending virtual hugs to all our friends and loved ones.     

We were all shook up this January as we celebrated what would have been Elvis Presley’s birthday with a fun-filled Zumba session led by fabulous instructor David!

Everyone got rockin' and rollin' to Elvis classics and other much-loved hits from the decades, participating in ways that felt most comfortable and manageable for them; from toe-tapping and shoulder shimmying to full body grooving!

The room was filled with music, laughter, and plenty of energy as everyone engaged at their own pace, proving that it’s not about how you move, but that you move and enjoy the moment!

Thank you David for bringing such joy and rhythm to our day whilst celebrating the King of Rock 'N' Roll!    

Recently we were delighted to welcome Jack and Pals Therapy Dogs, fresh from their appearance on the recent Christmas special of Channel 5's The Yorkshire Vet! To make the occasion extra special, everyone enjoyed a screening of the episode, followed by an informative Q&A with Wendy, who shared behind-the-scenes stories about the filming!

The visit ended with cuddles, smiles, and even a very special souvenir; a ‘pawtograph’ from our four-legged stars!

Huge congratulations to Wendy on this fantastic achievement; we are so proud! And a heartfelt thank you for everything you do for us; bringing comfort, happiness, and so many smiles to our residents and team alike!   

We were delighted to welcome some very special visitors to the home over the festive period!

Volunteers from CBRE joined us for a fabulously festive bauble decorating crafternoon, bringing creativity, laughter and plenty of festive cheer! Together, we painted, glittered and personalised beautiful decorations while sharing stories and enjoying each other’s company.

A huge thank you to the CBRE team for giving their time, kindness and enthusiasm; the smiles on residents’ faces said it all.

These handmade baubles hold extra-special memories and add a truly personal touch to our festive celebrations. 

We spent some time painting flowers using watercolours. Everyone was absorbed in what they were creating and found the sessions very relaxing.  

Residents love having the children from Lauriston Nursery into visit, we have enjoyed doing some crafts and singing together! Such lovely afternoons spent together.