Celebrating life at Barchester

Yesterday we were thrilled to welcome Buddy and his owner Ben into our home. Buddy, a gentle King Charles Spaniel with the most soulful, dopey eyes, has a wonderful way of capturing hearts the moment he arrives. His visits are deeply cherished, and our residents eagerly look forward to seeing both Buddy and Ben every Friday.

Pet therapy is a treasured part of our life enrichment programme. The simple act of sharing a moment with a calm, loving animal brings comfort, joy, and a sense of connection. These visits create beautiful, tender moments that uplift spirits, spark memories, and fill our home with warmth and smiles long after Buddy has gone.

We recently hosted our own creative friendship making activity and were delighted with our colourful creations to cherish and gift to our loved ones!

Wellbeing Menus Designed with Nutrition in Mind

As part of our recent Wellbeing Day, residents and guests enjoyed specially curated Wellbeing Menus, created by our Head Chef Paul, with a clear focus on nutrition, balance, and enjoyment.

At Cadbury Hall, food is more than a meal — it is a vital part of supporting health, independence, and everyday wellbeing.

Nourishing Choices, Thoughtfully Prepared

The Wellbeing Day lunch and evening menus were designed to:

• Support energy, digestion, and heart health
• Offer balanced protein, fibre, and healthy carbohydrates
• Provide choice, ensuring meals feel enjoyable rather than restrictive
• Reflect seasonal, wholesome ingredients prepared freshly on site

Dishes included options such as:

• Homemade soups rich in vegetables and natural goodness
• Poached salmon with parsley sauce, supporting brain and heart health
• Mixed bean and vegetable casserole for plant-based nourishment
• Wholemeal toast, brown rice, vegetables, fruit, yoghurt, seeds, and oats to support sustained energy and digestion

Desserts focused on natural sweetness and nourishment, including fresh fruit, yoghurt, honey, oats, and lighter mousse options — proving that wellbeing food can still feel indulgent.

Food That Supports Whole-Person Wellbeing

Our Head Chef works closely with the wider team to ensure menus:

• Cater for individual dietary needs and preferences
• Promote hydration, digestion, and balanced nutrition
• Support residents’ long-term health while celebrating flavour and choice

This approach aligns closely with the wellbeing themes of the day, reinforcing the message that good nutrition is a cornerstone of healthy ageing.

A Lifestyle That Feels Considered and Enjoyable

The positive feedback from residents, families, and visitors highlighted how much our wellbeing-focused dining is valued. For many, it offered reassurance that life at Cadbury Hall supports not just care needs, but quality of life, enjoyment, and dignity.

Our wellbeing menus reflect the lifestyle we are proud to offer — nourishing, inclusive, and led by expertise.

Wellbeing Day at Cadbury Hall

A Showcase of Holistic Living, Community & Choice

Our recent Wellbeing Day was a vibrant, full-day event designed to showcase the enriching lifestyle, holistic care, and strong community connections that define life at Cadbury Hall.

Welcoming residents, families, and members of the local community, the day demonstrated our commitment to proactive wellbeing, meaningful engagement, and choice-led living.

A Day Designed Around Whole-Person Wellbeing

Nutrition & Wellbeing with Ruth  Seymour

Root & Renew

The day began with an insightful Nutrition & Wellbeing talk led by Ruth, a Registered Nutritionist from Root & Renew. Her session explored the vital links between gut and brain health, hydration, and sleep, offering practical, evidence-based guidance to support everyday wellbeing. The talk prompted lively discussion and thoughtful reflection, empowering residents, families, and visitors to make informed, positive health choices.

Led by Nutritionist Ruth Seymour, the morning began with an informative and engaging talk exploring the gut–brain connection, hydration, sleep, and everyday health foundations. The session sparked lively discussion, empowering attendees with knowledge and practical insights.

Holistic Therapies Experience

Residents enjoyed Indian head and hand massages, many for the very first time. These gentle therapies brought visible relaxation, confidence, and joy, highlighting our commitment to offering enriching, alternative wellbeing options. By Kate and Angela

 Functional Fitness with Simon Flett

3C Mentoring

Simon from 3C Mentoring led our functional fitness session, highlighting the powerful benefits of movement, outdoor activity, natural daylight, and fresh air. The session focused on gentle, purposeful exercise to support mobility, confidence, and overall wellbeing. Delivered in a relaxed and inclusive way, the activity encouraged connection, enjoyment, and participation across generations, reinforcing the importance of staying active at every stage of life.

Outdoor functional exercise was led by Simon, joined by a local group of young people with learning difficulties. This intergenerational session beautifully reflected our values of inclusion, movement, and shared wellbeing.

Nourishment & Enjoyment

A delicious, nutritious lunch was prepared by our Head Chef Paul, featuring homemade healthy treats such as banana, walnut and seed flapjacks, and beetroot & chocolate cake with crème fraîche — a clear favourite on the day.

Aromatherapy & Sensory Wellbeing

Aromatherapy with Lisa 

Priddy-Presence

The afternoon featured a beautifully engaging aromatherapy session led by Lisa Priddy of Presence, focusing on the power of scent to support relaxation, emotional wellbeing, and physical comfort. Residents enjoyed a hands-on experience exploring carefully selected essential oils, sharing stories and laughter throughout the session. Lisa’s bespoke blends — including a specialist arthritis blend — proved especially popular, demonstrating how personalised, sensory-based therapies can enhance everyday wellbeing.

The day concluded with a warming cacao experience, offering a nourishing alternative to traditional hot chocolate and reinforcing our focus on wellbeing that feels both enjoyable and accessible.

Why Events Like This Matter

Our Wellbeing Day created a genuine buzz across the home and received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many attendees requesting more holistic, health-focused events.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Beat The Blues event! We welcomed people to the home for some uplifting Blue's music a chance to mingle and get over those January blues! 

It was lovely to welcome people in to the home and we look forward to seeing you again!

Our team have been out in our local community getting to know businesses, charities, community groups, NHS professionals and many more! We love to build strong working relationships and it is important to us that we create a strong community bond. 

Thank you to everyone that has welcomed us to Bath so far and we look forward to meeting those we haven't yet seen!

We recently took a group of residents to visit the Standing with Giants exhibition at Royal Armouries, Fort Nelson and it was truly amazing to see. The installation, 'For Your Tomorrow - The People's Tribute', consists of 1,475 silhouettes, representing the number of servicemen under British command who died on D-Day (6 June 1944). It also includes figures for French resistance fighters and specific female nurses. It has been displayed at the British Normandy Memorial in France and Fort Nelson in Portsmouth. 

It was cold afternoon, but that didn’t dampen the atmosphere at all … everyone was in great spirits, and the experience was incredibly moving. The adventure was made even more memorable as one of our residents at 101 years old experienced his first ever minibus trip! 
 

Seeing the installation in person really brings history to life and gives you a moment to pause and reflect. Thank you to everyone who made the trip possible! 

 

The home was delighted to welcome local professionals to their community ‘Meet the Manager – Cream Tea’ event.

Taking place on Friday 16th January. Professionals from various organisations within the community had the opportunity to meet Emma Smith, General Manager of Stamford Bridge Beaumont, take a tour of the newly opened residential unit and network with one another.

The home was delighted to welcome representatives from Home Instead, Bryan Mills Funeral Directors, Link Village Magazine and representation from Stamford in Bloom and the Community Choir.