Celebrating life at Barchester

Residents and staff from Iris Court Care Home recently enjoyed a wonderful trip to Letchworth Broadway Cinema to watch the much-anticipated finale of Downton Abbey. The outing was filled with laughter, nostalgia, and a touch of glamour—perfectly in keeping with the spirit of the beloved period drama.

For many of our residents, Downton Abbey has been a cherished part of their television lives, offering elegant escapism and captivating storytelling. Anne, in particular, was thrilled to attend. Having watched every episode from the very beginning, she was eager to see how the story of the Crawley family would finally conclude on the big screen. Sitting in the plush seats of the historic Broadway Cinema.

Letchworth Broadway Cinema was another special destination visit due to our residents reminiscing about their earlier visits to the very same cinema with their own families. With our residents fondly recalling memories of days gone by and shared stories of those outings over a cup of tea afterwards. “It’s lovely to be back,” residents said.. “The place still has that same charm—it brings back so many memories.”

The afternoon was not just about the film—it was about connection, memory, and joy. Residents chatted about their favourite characters, admired the period costumes, and shared their thoughts on the finale as they left the cinema. The trip perfectly captured the essence of Iris Court’s Life Enrichment Programme—creating meaningful moments that inspire conversation, evoke emotion, and celebrate the joy of shared experiences.

Pet therapy visits are just one aspect of our life enrichment program and all the activities that we plan we take are at the request of the residents. Our monthly activities calendar boasts a range of outings, entertainments and pet therapy visits.

This week our Residents enjoyed a visit from some very curious Alpacas. The Residents got some hands on experience feeding their new friends and the Alpacas even visited Residents in their rooms. Alpaca lot of fun in one visit for sure.

At Ritson Lodge we support and encourage our residents to continue doing the things they love whilst also making new friends and exploring new adventures.  

Katherine Smith at Tixover House in Rutland has beaten all the competition to be crowned National ‘Dementia Champion of the Year’ in the Barchester Care Awards 2025.

The Barchester Care Awards celebrate the staff who go the extra mile for the benefit of the 13,500 residents living in Barchester’s 268 care homes and private hospitals across the country. Categories range from ‘Team of the Year’ and ‘Carer of the Year’ to ‘Dementia Care Champion’ and ‘Activities Coordinator of the Year’.

More than 5,250 nominations were received from homes and hospitals across the UK. All entries were a very high standard and Katherine is over the moon to have been named the national winner, beating hundreds of other nominees to the coveted title.

One of the cornerstones of our life enrichment program is live musical entertainment. Resident involvement in choosing genres along with feedback after each performance means that we are able to constantly improve our activities calendar.

Our Residents enjoyed a visit from Will who is "Cliff as if" he sang all of the classics, toes were tapping, hands were clapping and everyone sang along.

At Ashfields that's what we like to do - create memories, and ensure our residents are leading full enriched lives.

This week was all about the radio days of the BBC, the ladies from Carousel did a great show that had the residents up dancing or seated dancing and had us all in tears with the funny side of the BBC. 

A heart-warming reunion took place as a resident who had her wish granted to reconnect with a beloved former Home Manager. Mary Heyward, who has been part of the home family for over a year, expressed her desire to visit Katie Wilkinson, the previous temporary Home Manager who had left a lasting impression on her. Thanks to the thoughtfulness, General Manager, Joanna Mosses, Mary and a group of residents set off on a delightful morning trip to see Katie at Bayleaf Care Home, in Huntingdon, where Katie is General Manager.

The reunion was filled with joy as Katie warmly welcomed Mary and the other residents, treating them to tea and delicious cake prepared by the home's talented chef. As they shared stories and cherished memories, it was evident how much the visit meant to Mary and how deeply she valued the connection with Katie during her time at the Kettering home.

Reflecting on the heart-warming reunion, Katie expressed her delight at seeing Mary and the other residents, emphasising the importance of fostering friendships between the sister care homes. She also looked forward to more visits and continued connection in the future.

General Manager Joanna Mosses highlighted the profound impact that the reunion had on Mary, emphasising the significance of fulfilling such a meaningful wish and nurturing the supportive environment that the care home strives to provide.

Mary had a wonderful time and couldn’t contain her excited on the way home as she chatted about home much she enjoyed the visit with Katie.

This heart-warming story serves as a reminder of the power of connection and the lasting impact of genuine care and support in undefined.

Tracy Millichap at Mount Vale in Northallerton has beaten all the competition to be crowned National ‘Hospitality Champion of the Year’ in the Barchester Care Awards 2025.

The Barchester Care Awards celebrate the staff who go the extra mile for the benefit of the 13,500 residents living in Barchester’s 268 care homes and private hospitals across the country. Categories range from ‘Team of the Year’ and ‘Carer of the Year’ to ‘Dementia Care Champion’ and ‘Activities Coordinator of the Year’.

More than 5,250 nominations were received from homes and hospitals across the UK. All entries were a very high standard and Tracy is over the moon to have been named the national winner, beating hundreds of other nominees to the coveted title.

Andrew Morrison at Canmore Lodge in Dunfermline has beaten all the competition to be crowned National ‘Volunteer of the Year’ in the Barchester Care Awards 2025.

The Barchester Care Awards celebrate the staff who go the extra mile for the benefit of the 13,500 residents living in Barchester’s 268 care homes and private hospitals across the country. Categories range from ‘Team of the Year’ and ‘Carer of the Year’ to ‘Dementia Care Champion’ and ‘Activities Coordinator of the Year’.

More than 5,250 nominations were received from homes and hospitals across the UK. All entries were a very high standard and Andrew is over the moon to have been named the national winner, beating hundreds of other nominees to the coveted title.