Celebrating life at Barchester

We were delighted to welcome a very special visitor to our home this festive season, as Santa Claus arrived with his cheerful elf helper to spread Christmas joy among our residents. The visit brought a wonderful sense of excitement throughout the home.

Santa and his elf took the time to visit each resident individually, enjoying friendly chats, sharing festive cheer and listening to Christmas memories from years gone by. These personal moments meant so much to our residents, many of whom spoke fondly about past celebrations, family traditions, and favourite Christmas songs. The elf added extra fun with jokes and playful energy, ensuring plenty of laughter along the way.

The atmosphere was truly magical, with residents beaming as Santa wished them a Merry Christmas and a joyful season ahead. For many, the visit created a comforting sense of connection and reminded everyone of the warmth and togetherness that Christmas brings.

We would like to thank Santa and his helpful elf for taking the time to make our residents feel so special. It was a heart-warming experience that will be fondly remembered by all.

We had the most wonderful visit today as the ponies came to see our residents. So many smiles, laughs, and happy memories were shared as everyone enjoyed spending time with them — especially seeing the ponies dressed in their adorable Christmas outfits!

The visit sparked beautiful conversations, with residents reminiscing about the days they owned horses, rode them, or cared for them when they were younger. It was truly heartwarming to see the joy on their faces and hear the stories that came flooding back. Moments like these remind us how powerful animal visits can be in lifting spirits and creating meaningful connections. Thank you to everyone who helped make this festive and special day possible!  

Thank you to the lovely ladies and ponies Lollipop Pony Parties. We had a lovely time.

What a wonderful afternoon we had here at Harper Fields care home, enjoying beautiful music with the talented Barry Styles! His performance brought smiles, memories, and plenty of toe-tapping all around.

Our residents were treated to chilled Prosecco and delicious nibbles lovingly prepared by our amazing kitchen team — the perfect pairing for a truly elegant afternoon.   

A huge thank-you to Barry for sharing his incredible voice with us, and to our staff for making the day so special.  

Here’s to many more musical moments together!

Yesterday we were truly blessed to welcome the wonderful Balsall Common Choir into our home.   

The house was filled with beautiful singing, so much laughter, and, of course, plenty of mince pies! Thank you all for bringing such joy and festive spirit. What a magical way to spend the day.   

Already looking forward to the next time! 

Today we celebrated the national day of Scotland and their patron, Saint Andrew. 

We marked the day with a celebration of Scottish culture – with fantastic Highland Dancers from KIC Dance Studio in Dalkeith.

Our residents also learnt interesting facts about St Andrew, who surprisingly was not Scottish. Happy St Andrews Day from us all at Archview.   

Archview had big visitors! We were so lucky to have Flicker, Wilson and little Fudge from Therapy Ponies Scotland come to visit all of our residents!

A big thank you to our volunteers Linda and Rosemary for all of their hard work fundraising and organising this amazing event for us!  

Today we marked Remembrance Sunday. Residents enjoyed putting a remembrance display together, with their own handmade wreaths and poppies, which turned out beautifully. 

We enjoyed a special church service to honour veterans and armed forces members who have lost their lives in the line of duty, and we read some war poems. It was a lovely day of remembrance, enjoyed by all.  

It's always nice to go out during Christmastime, especially to garden centres to see the Christmas lights and wonderful decorations. 

Last Friday we went to Sunshine Garden Centre. Drinking hot chocolate and enjoying a nice cake was a very good idea on a sunny but cold winter's day.

Thanks to Sol-e-Mio Café for their warm welcome.  

What a wonderful Christmas celebration! We had a fantastic Christmas party and raffle in support of the Alzheimer’s Society. We truly enjoyed the festive party hosted by John and a lovely Christmas lunch with our relatives.

On the same day, we were proud to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society. As Memory Lane Community at Hugh Myddelton House, we are always proud to raise awareness and support the Alzheimer’s Society every year.

This Christmas, we raised an amazing £433! Thank you to everyone who donated and supported us. Your kindness means so much.