Celebrating life at Barchester

Our regular Breakfast Club took on a festive twist this week. As Santa Claus stopped by to enjoy a continental buffet with our residents and colleagues.

Bere Grove Care Home is lucky enough to have it's very own hair salon and our lovely lady residents always enjoy a visit to get glammed up, whether it's for a special occasion or just to feel good. This week was no exception and I'm sure you'll agree they are all looking gorgeous, as the count down for Christmas is now well and truly underway!

We had a special treat for our wonderful Joyce yesterday as we took her to the St Ives Corn Exchange for the Riverport Singers Christmas Concert dress rehearsal.

Prior to coming to Bayleaf, Joyce has always enjoyed attending singing groups so this was a very exciting event for us to attend. Joyce was welcomed as soon as we arrived and we were given front row seats.

It was a beautiful concert and we left feeling very nostalgic and very much in the Christmas spirit.

A big thank you to all involved. This was something we will remember for a long time.

Staff, residents, relatives and the local community came together at the home to enjoy a wonderful Christmas Fete

The biggest event highlight was the homes hair salon being transformed into a magical doorway through a cupboard into Narnia complete with Aslan, the White Witch and Mr Tumnus! In what was an enchanting edition to the days festivities.

We were delighted to welcome members of our local community into Ashchurch View for a wonderful Christmas Table Centrepieces event. The morning was filled with creativity, conversation and festive cheer as we opened our doors and shared a truly special experience together.

We were very grateful to receive a generous donation of freshly cut Christmas tree branches from The Natural Christmas Tree Co at Prestbury Farm, Huntley. These beautiful natural materials helped set the scene and inspired some stunning festive designs. We were also fortunate to have Amy from Grandma’s Garden with us, whose expertise and guidance supported everyone in creating their own unique centrepieces.

Several local ladies joined us for the event, including local councillor Dr Kate Usmar, and it was lovely to see residents, visitors and guests working side by side. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, with plenty of laughter and creativity throughout the morning.

The finished centrepieces were absolutely beautiful and some are now proudly displayed on our dining room tables for residents and visitors to enjoy throughout the festive season.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated materials, shared their time and joined us to make this event such a success. We truly value these opportunities to connect with our community and celebrate together.

One of our eldest residents in Hafan Y Coed went viral on social media after a recent outing to Brangwyn Hall. The event was a tea dance in a beautiful venue which the residents were thrilled to be invited to. In particular, one of our residents, Dennis, was the first on the dance floor as he reminisced moments of dancing with his wife. He said, “I like to imagine I’m dancing with her”. 

The moment was captured on video and shared on our Facebook platform. The post has been viewed by over 20k people. Dennis was thrilled when he was made aware of how many people had been touched by the video and became emotional as he mentioned his late life. He said: “we have always loved to dance."

Recently, our residents enjoyed a wonderfully sweet and creative activity as they became gingerbread architects and artists. The room was filled with excitement as everyone set to work designing and decorating their own gingerbread creations.

From colourful gingerbread houses to cheerful little gingerbread people, creativity flowed freely and there were smiles all around. No two creations were the same, with each one reflecting its maker’s personality and festive flair.

Along the way, there was plenty of laughter and enjoyment, and a little sneaky tasting added to the fun. The activity created a relaxed and joyful atmosphere, bringing everyone together to share in the festive spirit.

It was a truly delightful, laughter-filled experience that our residents thoroughly enjoyed and one that will be fondly remembered. 

Recently, we had the absolute pleasure of welcoming a wonderful Christmas choir into our beautiful chapel at St Thomas Care Home. The choir had been practising for weeks in preparation for their performance, and the result was truly unforgettable.

Every voice was beautiful, filling the chapel with festive cheer and creating a warm, magical atmosphere that was enjoyed by residents and staff alike. The music brought moments of reflection, joy and togetherness, making it a very special occasion for everyone present.

The choir kindly chose to raise money for our resident fund at St Thomas Care Home, as one of the performers’ beloved mothers once lived here. This made the evening even more meaningful, and we were deeply touched that they selected a cause so close to their hearts.

We are currently counting the donations and will share an update once the final amount raised is confirmed. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the wonderful performers at Soul Thirst Music for providing such a memorable and meaningful Christmas experience for our community.