Celebrating life at Barchester

A very happy Lady Peggy had a wonderful time attending her local church for the candlelight service, a place filled with so many cherished memories from the many years she spent there. She was given the loveliest warm welcome by her church family, and it truly meant so much to her to see familiar faces and share such a special time together. Her friend Jean from her community also came along to share the moment. Her friends were delighted to see her and continue to visit her at Bloomfield, which always brings her great joy. Such a heart-warming evening all around. We love helping our residents living their lives to the fullest and to continue with their hobbies. 

The wonderful Santa and his elf delivered presents to our residents, kindly donated by the amazing team at The Perch Group in Blackpool.

The Perch Group provided thoughtful, person-centred gifts for each resident, based on the wish lists put together by our staff. They truly went above and beyond for the second year running, and we are incredibly grateful for the support and kindness they have shown us this festive season.

Santa and his elf visited residents in their bedrooms, and our whole team joined in to spread joy, laughter and plenty of Christmas cheer throughout the home.

A massive thank you to the staff at the Perch Group and our brilliant team for bringing the festivities right to our residents’ doors, making sure everyone felt included and celebrated. 

The residents and staff enjoyed some festive fun by dressing in their Christmas pyjamas for our annual Pyjama Day.

We started the day with a wonderful visit from the children of St John Vianney’s Choir, who brought real Christmas cheer through their music. We sang along together and then spent time reminiscing about favourite Christmas traditions while enjoying refreshments prepared by our talented catering team.

In the afternoon, residents settled in for cosy Christmas films, followed by mince pies and hot chocolates to keep everyone warm and smiling.

It was also a special day for one of our residents, Neil, who celebrated his birthday with his favourite Victoria sponge cake, surrounded by the wonderful team. Happy birthday, Neil, from everyone at Glenroyd!

Resident Betty Roy and her son Ivor were completely astounded to discover that a Christmas Gift sourced by Key Worker Clarissa is actually a family heirloom!

Clarissa was looking for a unique and meaningful gift for Betty’s Christmas and whilst browsing online happened across ‘Aye Ready, The History of Edinburgh Fire Brigade, The Oldest Municipal Brigade in Britain’ (by Alexander Reid). Initially she wondered about gifting a ‘second hand’ item but decided it would be perfectly appropriate for Betty as she often spoke of her Father, Robert Thomas Wyllie, whose photo she proudly displays in her room.  Robert was Assistant Fire Officer at Edinburgh’s Laurieston Fire Station during the 1930’s. 

We were delighted to welcome a talented local art company who brought festive magic to our home with a wonderful Christmas panto performance for our residents. The show was filled with colour, laughter, music, and plenty of audience interaction, creating a truly joyful atmosphere throughout the afternoon.

Our residents thoroughly enjoyed the familiar songs, humour, and playful storytelling, with many joining in and sharing smiles and applause. Experiences like this are so special, helping to spark happy memories and bring everyone together.

It was a fantastic celebration of the festive season and we are very grateful for the smiles and cheer the performers shared with us.

We have had an amazing time on our adventures visiting the Cheltenham RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association) at Cheltenham Racecourse.
The ladies enjoyed a slice of cake and cup of tea and then had the opportunity to have a sensory experience with a pony.
The RDA was launched in 1965, Tea with a Pony is an RDA activity focusing on sensory experiences with RDA horses and ponies. It was launched as part of RDAs nationwide dementia project in response to the growing number of people living with Dementia and Similar conditions, for some of our residents this was a chance to revisit old memories 
Resident Maureen was very excited by the RDA visit she said: “I used to be work for RDA many years ago so today was very special. Today was very enjoyable and it was wonderful that the ponies were able to join us whilst we had tea and cake.” Maureen was also able to see some of her previous work colleagues still working there.

Our Dementia Café brought people together for a warm and welcoming morning filled with conversation, cake, and shared understanding. Residents, families, and members of the local community gathered to support one another, exchange experiences, and learn more about living well with dementia.

We were delighted to welcome guest speaker Jackie Chelin, who shared valuable insights and practical information, helping to spark thoughtful discussion and reassurance. Moments like these remind us of the power of connection, compassion, and community spirit.

We look forward to continuing these meaningful gatherings and creating spaces where everyone feels supported, heard, and valued.

Resident Ambassador Mike at Chater Lodge care home, in Ketton recently enjoyed visiting the local Cubs to impart his career knowledge.

On the 14th of January, the Cub House in Ketton was buzzing with excitement as our very Resident Ambassador Mike paid a visit. The aim was to give the Cubs a fascinating insight into his career in the British Army and Mike delivered in style. Drawing on an incredible 40-year military career, Mike shared his journey from joining as a Private to rising through the ranks to become a Major, leading and mentoring over 200 soldiers.

Residents and colleagues enjoyed an interactive workshop with Red Kite, a Bridlington base theatre, dance and drama group.

Residents, visitors and staff at Mallard Court were given the opportunity to get curious and creative, with a thoughtfully curated selection of drama games. This put imaginations and improvisation skills to the test, along with a few memory games, that got the group reminiscing on times gone by.