Celebrating life at Barchester

Residents, families and staff celebrated all things Irish for St Patrick’s Day this week. The home was decorated with shamrocks and everyone dressed in hats and fun glasses to mark the day.

Held on March 17th, Saint Patrick's Day actually observes the death of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, but the day has come to be a huge celebration of Irish heritage and culture.

Staff and residents marked the day by hanging shamrock decorations and banners, and enjoyed an afternoon of live entertainment with the talented Richard, playing a wide range of songs for everyone to sing along to with some Irish dancing. with Guinness a plenty and Irish Whiskey. 

Residents enjoyed a brilliant chair exercise session which was specifically adapted for the residents. There were upper body exercises, along with foot and leg exercises. Everyone said they had a great time and look forward to another session. 

We listened to a variety of music and residents chose all of their favourite songs at the end of the session which they would like to listen to next time. There was also a little warm down session.       

Our residents at Tandridge Heights had a wonderful wildlife experience recently when Wild About Britain came to visit the home.

Residents were able to get up close and personal with some amazing animals, including toads, a smooth snake called Wren, a hedgehog named Buttercup, and a beautiful tawny owl called Freddie.

There were plenty of smiles as residents had the opportunity to pet, hold and learn about these incredible creatures. For many, it was a chance to reconnect with nature and enjoy a truly unique and memorable afternoon.

A huge thank you to the team at Wild About Britain for bringing such a special experience to our home and creating so many joyful moments for our residents.         

On the warmest day this week, we jumped onto the mini-bus for some fresh air and watched wildfowl at Langford lakes.  

The Canadian Geese were in full voice while we enjoyed delicious refreshments at the Kingfisher Café.    

Ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, residents and staff at Ashlar House enjoyed a wonderful pre-celebration filled with Irish spirit and good company. We were delighted to welcome talented Irish dancers, whose lively performance brought smiles and plenty of festive cheer to everyone watching.

In addition To add to the celebration of luck and tradition, residents were served non-alcoholic beer, giving everyone a taste of what many Irish enjoy during the festivities. Of course, no celebration would be complete without a sweet treat – delicious cupcakes were shared, adding a little extra sweetness to the afternoon.   

It was a lovely way for everyone to come together, enjoy the music and dancing, and start celebrating the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day.    

We had an amazing afternoon of fun and games at Westergate House. Local entertainer Lee, who has fantastic skills as a bingo caller, kept everyone entertained with fun-filled rounds, bringing laughter and smiles to residents, visitors, family and friends alike – and with a prize every time, the excitement didn't stop!  

The afternoon was made even more special by welcoming two lovely community agents from Age UK West Sussex, Brighton and Hove, who joined us to share helpful information. Thank you everyone, a fabulous afternoon.      

We have had a Valentine's Day to remember at Westergate House, where our home was filled with warmth, laughter and a wonderful sense of togetherness.  We celebrated the special day with our residents and members of the community aged 65+.  

At the heart of the day were our residents, who loved sharing their homes and stories with our guests - who might have otherwise spent the day alone.  Everyone enjoyed a three-course lunch in our lovely surroundings, with residents and guests coming together around the table.  With the sun shining, it was the perfect day for connection and companionship.    

Westergate House was focused on art and creation throughout a fabulous workshop exploring the art of fabric printing. 

Residents in our House community were delighted to welcome Sarah from Matt Black Barn arts centre for an engaging session where techniques were demonstrated. Individual designs were created and pressed onto different fabrics with wonderful results. Well done everyone, and thank you Sarah for a super creative morning.