Celebrating life at Barchester

We were delighted to welcome back the brilliant Cameron Lemmer to Cumberland Grange last week.

Our residents absolutely loved his performance at our 4th Birthday Party, so we couldn’t wait to invite him back for another wonderful afternoon of live music. He didn’t disappoint, the lounge was filled with smiles, singing, and a few dance moves too!

A big thank you to Cameron for bringing such joy and energy to our home once again. We’re already looking forward to your next visit.

Our Christmas elves have been busy adding the festive touches to our home… The elves certainly earned themselves a glass of Prosecco and slice of Pantone afterwards!  🥂 

When we party, we party in style! Recently we had a pleasure of welcoming Iain Alexander Scott to our home, who not only showed us his amazing vocal range with good old-fashioned sing-along but also brought several smiles to our residents' faces. Everyone joined in singing and some of the residents took over from Iain and sang their hearts out! We are very impressed with their voices! To make it even more fun we got into dancing and shaking some pom-poms- even Shakin' Stevens got nothing on us! The party was just the beginning of our Countdown to Christmas celebrations, there is more to come! We were so impressed with Iain that we decided to invite him again. We can't wait for more sing-alongs that bring our residents so much happiness and bring life to our home. 

We started our Christmas celebrations with a rag-wreath-making session led by family and friends. Residents gathered around the tables, choosing fabrics and colours while chatting and enjoying each other’s company. Some got stuck in straight away, while others joined in when they felt ready.

The room was full of gentle laughter and friendly conversation as everyone worked at their own pace. By the end, each resident had made a wreath they could feel proud of.

Later, the wreaths were hung on their doors, bringing a personal and festive touch to the home. It was a simple activity, but it brought people together and helped us all feel the start of Christmas.     

To the entire home’s delight, Play away Intergenerational music classes continue in the home. Here, the residents enjoy “growing down” by playing musical instruments and by making music with household instruments such as wooden spoons and pots! 

They sing familiar songs and interact with the children, having the absolute best time. These are sessions that always leave everyone with a smile. What’s even more special is that the children that have been regularly been attending recognise their friends, the residents. We are getting the privilege of watching them develop and grow.     

We have recently begun hosting Knit and Natter sessions, led by the very talented John Glen. The first session was a great success, whether for those that enjoy knitting and crocheting or just those who love a good blether! John shared stories and reminisced with the residents while working on a project, and the residents that were interested joined in and soon the knitting needles and crochet hooks were busy clacking away. It is so nostalgic to sit in a group and either engage in the knitting or even just to watch, and soon people were sharing stories and laughter as the yarn spun into some lovely creations. 

From stories of learning to knit at a granny’s knee to sharing tales of what we’ve created over the years, it was a lovely experience for all in attendance. For some who were keen knitters in their time but maybe find the task difficult these days, it was lovely to sit in a room of people enjoying the past time, and even to just hold the yarn and needles again. We plan on holding these sessions twice a month, with days of the week and times to vary so that family, friends, and the community can come in and join us for some lovely community time.  

It was all festive and cosy fun as we boarded the mini-bus on a chilly evening to visit Pennyland Primary School’s Christmas market. Pentland View has a special friendship with the students of Pennyland school, who visit the home throughout the year, so we wanted to visit in support of their festive fundraising, in aid of their holiday treat, a trip for the whole school to visit the local cinema. We also went looking forward to some lovely home baking and a warming cuppa, as well, with the aim of doing some of our Christmas shopping! Linda even had the added pleasure of meeting her daughter, Nicole, who joined in on the festive fun. While roaming the market and browsing the lovely local vendors’ stalls, the residents were also delighted to be stopped by the familiar faces of the students who visited the home, who were equally delighted to see their friends visiting their school’s Christmas market. 

It was such a lovely and welcoming atmosphere, made all the more special an experience by the connection shared by the children and the residents. After browsing, some shopping, and fuelling up on lovely cups of tea and coffee, as well as delicious baking, it was time to head back home to get settled in for the night. It was an absolutely lovely way to step in to the holiday season.  

Our cocktail afternoon was a wonderful treat for our residents! 

Our General Manager Shaaron Caratella and chef  Kim went room to room serving delicious, freshly made cocktails, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere. To end the day, group of our residents enjoyed relaxing jazz music together while chatting over delicious cocktails. 

It was a warm, intimate moment filled with conversation, music, and connection—such a lovely way to wrap up our special cocktail afternoon. 

Smiles, laughter, and great flavours made the day truly special, and everyone enjoyed this thoughtful, personalised experience.