Celebrating life at Barchester

Leeming Bar marked the 81^st anniversary of Victory in Europe Day in style by throwing a 1940s afternoon tea party to remember. The home was decorated in red, white and blue and residents and staff dressed up in their 1940s-inspired glad rags and enjoyed an afternoon of live musical entertainment from The Cherry Tones.

Head Chef Karen Garbutt whipped up a delicious selection of freshly-baked pastries, sandwiches, and cakes for the occasion, all washed down with pots of tea and a celebratory glass of fizz to mark the occasion.

Residents observed the national two minute silence and listened again to Churchill’s iconic speech accepting Germany’s surrender and an address from the Queen.  They reminisced about their memories of VE Day and watched clips of the celebrations that took place outside Buckingham Palace and all across London.

Our resident of the Day was asked what she wanted to do for this special day! 

Peggy asked if she could go for coffee at the Craven Arms Discovery Centre as it was a place she had always enjoyed going with friends and having coffee and a chat. Peggy asked if she could invite a couple of the ladies along. 

Visiting local places with some of our local ladies brings back lots of memories for them all to talk about over coffee and always stories of dances they attended. Brenda bumped into an old friend she hadn’t seen forages just made everyone’s morning.     

Last week, Winchester House staff endured a 10-mile hike to raise money for Barchester’s Charitable Foundation.

We started the walk from Winchester House at 9.30am on Friday the 24th of April. We walked through the gorgeous village of Wouldham, seeing local residents there, greeting us, and wishing us good luck. We then found ourselves going off the beaten track through the lovely countryside, looking at all the wildlife on the way. We then got to our half-way mark by 11.30am, where we were overwhelmed by being greeted by some of our residents from Winchester House. We stopped for a chat and a coffee with them, which was so nice for the staff to have the support from not only staff but residents too. We then continued on our journey back to Winchester House.

We reached Winchester House at 2.30pm, again being greeted by staff, residents and family members. It was amazing to see so many people come out and welcome us back.

As we were on our charity walk we found that so many of our friends and family had been in to ask about our progress and to donate to Barchester’s Foundation, which was amazing.

It was a fantastic day, and we raised a lot of money for the charity, which made us all very proud.        

Yesterday at Waterside Court, we all came together for the Barchester Charity Cook-Off alongside our managers’ drinks, and what a special day it turned out to be.

Fundraising events like this provide a wonderful opportunity to give while having fun, making a real difference in the community and strengthening the bonds that bring us all together. From the buzz around the raffle and the delicious treats at the cake sale, to the fun of “Guess the Bear’s Name” and “Guess How Many Sweets in the Jar,” there was something for everyone to enjoy. The auction of residents’ artwork was a real highlight, showcasing not only creativity but the stories and talents within our home.

And to top it all off, the incredibly talented Alan Hook lit up the day with a sensational Saxophone performance that had everyone on their feet and swaying! Thank you to all who took part and made the day such a success.                 

We were delighted to welcome Nicky and Neil for their wonderful show, Say It With Flowers. The performance was full of energy and charm, with Nicky captivating everyone with her incredible vocals. Her stunning costume changes added an extra layer of excitement and entertainment throughout the show. 

It was an uplifting experience that had everyone engaged, smiling, and thoroughly enjoying the moment. The afternoon was made more special as we were joined by our sister home, Hampton Grove.