Celebrating life at Barchester

As part of Dementia Action Week, Drummond Grange had the true honour of welcoming the Erskine Veterans Charity for a beautiful, meaningful afternoon of connection. 

Residents, veterans, families, and staff came together to share delicious food, games, karaoke, and wonderful conversations. It was a powerful, heart-warming reminder of how vital companionship, inclusion, and shared experiences are for those living with dementia—filling our home with music, laughter, and lasting memories.           

The energy was sky-high at Drummond Grange when the brilliant Tubby Horse Company stopped by! 

This fantastic accordion and guitar duet treated our residents to an afternoon of absolute classics, filling the home with music, smiles, and incredible community spirit.        

Drummond Grange proudly cheered on the 200-mile Tour de Barchester charity ride. 

From custom goody bags by our resident ambassador, Susanne, to themed cupcakes, garden music, and sports massages from our physio team, we made sure the riders left with full bellies and a massive boost of local energy!    

Our residents thoroughly enjoyed a fantastic performance from the very talented Debbie Le Vene today. The room was filled with smiles, singing, clapping, and plenty of toe-tapping as everyone joined in with some favourite classics.

Music has a wonderful way of bringing people together, and it was lovely to see so many residents reminiscing, dancing, and enjoying the entertainment.

A big thank you to our wonderful staff and singer Debbie for making the afternoon so special. We can't wait to welcome Debbie back again soon.             

Residents at Highview House were delighted to welcome new friends to the home as they watched a production of "Nessie!"  During the show, residents sang along with a medley of well-known Scottish pop songs, interacted with the cast and afterwards posed for photos.    

“Nessie!” was performed for residents by Shoogalie Road productions, one of a number of touring production companies who visit the home throughout the year. Performances are specially tailored for care homes, and include high levels of interaction and resident involvement. Particularly popular are our annual summer and winter pantomimes, with other performances throughout the year.    

What a fun morning at Matrix Superbowl Snooker and Pool Centre in Skipton! 

One of our residents who is over 90 has never been 10 pin bowling, so we thought let’s introduce him and see what he thinks! Well, he absolutely loved it, everyone had so much fun and it really was a big competition seeing who would win! 

At the end of the game everyone was a winner but our residents decided it was a warm up and next time we go, it will be a big competition!            

On Tuesday, our residents Ann, Barbara, and Audrey George had a wonderful time playing their favourite games with a twist. Our volunteers, Sally & Carl, brought in a selection of large-scale classic boards such as Connect 4 & Dominoes.

Here’s a quote from volunteer Sally about the day’s fun:

'Barbara arrived, joined Ann and Audrey to play dominoes. Ann had never played before. They were very competitive!! Audrey asked if this was the game they played in pubs!! Audrey told Barbara to play Connect 4 with her. This game was very serious, neither willing to end the game when Barbara made the first 4, so they continued until they had used all the pieces! There was lots of conversation and laughter. We finished the afternoon with tea and cake.'      

Congratulations Sharon, on this extraordinary milestone; fifteen years long service award at Tyspane Care Home. 

Sharon is a pillar of organisation, a mentor to many, and a dear friend to staff and residents. Her story is one of commitment, excellence and heart.           

This afternoon, our local Wallingford WI visited Waterside Court for a Scrumptious Cream Tea with our residents. 

There was plenty of chatter throughout the afternoon, and our residents thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the ladies from the WWI. Before indulging in delicious scones served with clotted cream and jam, our visitors shared information about the Women's Institute and the important role it plays in bringing people together through friendship, learning, and community involvement. This afternoon's gathering was a wonderful reflection of those values.    

The visit was enjoyed by everyone, and we are pleased that the Wallingford WI will be returning to Waterside Court on a regular basis. Our residents are already looking forward to welcoming them back, and we will be organising a variety of activities for everyone to enjoy together in the future.

A big thank you to the Wallingford WI for spending the afternoon with us and helping to create such a warm and enjoyable occasion.