Celebrating life at Barchester

Today at Claremont, family, friends and team members joined together to wish Torsten a very happy birthday!
Birthdays are so much more than just another day, they are an opportunity to celebrate each resident, their life, and the memories they have created. Here at the home we ensure every resident receives their very own personalised birthday cake, making their day special and as unique and meaningful as they are. Please enjoy the photos below, that have captured the smiles, laughter and joy making every birthday a truly memorable occasion here at the home.

At Claremont our lovely residents look forward to having their hair done every week by our super hairdresser, Debbie.
Debbie goes above and beyond to make sure everyone feels pampered and looking their best, whether they choose to visit the salon or prefer to have their hair done in the comfort of their own rooms. 
Having their hair styled is about so much more than appearance; it helps boost confidence, promotes self-esteem, encourages social interaction and brings a sense of normality and routine to their lives. For residents who are less mobile or prefer a quieter environment, Debbie ensures they receive the same care, attention and friendly chat. Her visits bring smiles, laughter and a little extra sparkle to the week, helping our residents feel special, valued and wonderful.

Recently our beautiful garden was filled with smiles as we welcomed the adorable mini donkeys, Fern and Pepper, along with their lovely owner, Helen. Even though it rained, the parasols were up and residents, family and friends loved watching these little gentle visitors, enjoying their company and sharing a special moment together. 

The visit created so much joy in the simple pleasure of being close to animals, with plenty of smiles, laughter and heart warming memories created along the way. Helen shared her knowledge of these beautiful animals and created an afternoon of learning as well as fun. We want to say a huge thankyou to Helen for bringing Fern and Pepper to see us, they certainly made our wet drizzly afternoon extra special.

Autumn is upon us, and we still continue to enjoy our wonderful outings each week, venturing off to somewhere different each trip. Recently we enjoyed a trip out shopping and also a trip to our local park to soak up the autumn sun. 

Shopping was such fun, as we browsed the isles and enjoyed looking at all the seasonal stock that has come in, allowing for reminiscence on how the stores have changed over time. It was also the perfect opportunity to sit and share stories over a warm drink. 

We also took a trip to our local park, this was a perfect day for feeding the birds and being in the fresh autumn sunshine. We enjoyed the sights and sounds of nature during this beautiful time of the year. It was lovely to simply be in the fresh air and enjoy are surroundings and each other.

Residents, staff, friends and family recently welcomed the Braybrooke Morris Dancers in for an afternoon of spectacular music, dancing, laughter and fun.

The lovely occasion provided a truly wonderful opportunity for all to come together for an enjoyable afternoon, complete with the cheerful sound of jingling bells, tapping of sticks along with the colourful costumes and white hankies. The group brought with them a real sense of tradition and community, the music created a joyful atmosphere, with everyone enjoying the sights and sounds of this much-loved traditional dancing.

Tina, Activities Co-ordinator said, “It is really important that the home brings in these unique themed events as it highlights the importance of such events in a care setting. For many of our residents this was the first time that they had seen Morris Dancing being performed. It offered them something new and different to experience and this in turn enriches the lives of our residents. It was a lovely afternoon that allowed for some great memories to be made.”

General Manager, Larisa Bledea, said: “What a great time everyone had, we cannot thank the Braybrooke Morris Dancers enough for coming to the home and offering this wonderful afternoon for our residents, staff, family and friends to all enjoy. Themed events like these are so important to all here, and our doors are always open to the community to join us. Moments like these help us all to remain connected to our local community and this is very important for our residents.”

As we approach Remembrance Day, we invite everyone to take a moment to visit our beautiful display in the main reception.
A massive thank Joy our activities assistant for setting this up and to everyone who contributed to making this so special. Please come and take a look at the incredible, crocheted & knitted poppies, Creative artwork and lovingly  painted stones
We also have official poppies available in the main reception for anyone who would like to donate to the Royal British Legion. Every contribution helps support our veterans and their families.
Lest we forget.

This month, our lovely resident Barbara wanted to get involved in choosing the beautiful flowers for our reception, and of course, we were delighted to make it happen! 
We work with Floral Image to bring fresh, colourful arrangements into The Spires, and their lovely team went the extra mile to make sure Barbara could see all the beautiful flowers and choose her favourites herself. 
The flowers were carefully laid out for Barbara to browse, and she was absolutely delighted with her choice!  It was so lovely to see her enjoying the experience and having a say in making our home look even more beautiful. 
A huge thank you to Floral Image  for making this such a special moment for Barbara. It's the little things that bring the biggest smiles!

The residents and staff were treated to a uniquely thrilling afternoon of spectacular choreography and live music as BFD Entertainments brought their signature Halloween-themed rollerblade show to the home.

The interactive production combined high-energy roller skating, theatrical, and live vocals to deliver an unforgettable spooky experience. Residents, staff and visitors were delighted and memorised with the performance, with plenty of applause, laughter, and shared smiles as they got into the festive Halloween spirit.

The home was delighted to welcome BFD Entertainments, who are a nationwide touring group comprised of two dedicated, full-time care home entertainers. General Manager, Eva Dominguez said “we were absolutely thrilled that BFD Entertainments could be back at the home and providing another afternoon of seasonal entertainment for our residents, who all enjoyed it very much”.

The homes Resident Ambassador expressed delight sharing “how wonderful it was to see everyone sharing a fantastic time with this unique show”.

The Spires Activities Team is dedicated to ensuring that they organise events that encourage residents to host their families and friends. The home is always to open the local community who wish to take part in our life enrichment program and host free community events.

Our main entrance is looking beautifully festive today, thanks to our wonderful residents who spent yesterday pumpkin carving! If you look closely as you walk by, you’ll see they have carved out all the letters of our home to create the most welcoming seasonal display.
It was a true team effort that brought smiles to everyone's faces. Our Activities Assistant, Harriet, shared "The residents really enjoyed the pumpkin carving, although this was tricky as the pumpkins were all shapes and sizes!"
Our staff loved getting involved too! Pumpkins have been spotted making their way all around the home, with both residents and team members. 
Combined with the beautiful autumnal decorations that have been put up around the home, we are feeling incredibly cosy and bright.