Celebrating life at Barchester

In August, Kathleen's wish was granted by our 'Post a Wish' initiative. Kathleen used to pick the lavender and has such fond memories of doing this that she loved sharing with others. So, our team suggested a meaningful trip to Norfolk Lavender where she could learn more about the fragrant plant and share even more memories with us.

We spent the day exploring the acres of lavender fields, smelling all the fragrant flowers and meeting the various visitors and staff. 
Kathleen said, "The trip has brought a lot back to me. I have vivid memories of being in the lavender bushes and all the things we did. They're such happy memories. Thank you!". 

This year, for Emergency Services Day, we spent the afternoon delivering these wonderful hampers across Ross and beyond, to show our gratitude to the wonderful people and teams that we work so closely with. Our Deputy Manager Catherine, and the wider team, work with so many of our local healthcare professionals on such a regular basis, that it felt right to show our gratitude by keeping them fueled up with a Barchester hamper full of indulgent chocolates and treats.

To Ross-On-Wye, and the wider Herefordshire NHS support teams: We thank you for everything you continue to do for us. 

We had a fabulous time once again, listening to Tracey’s jazz songs! There was a beautiful and wide selection of songs and some we had never heard before. Residents and visitors sang along and seemed to know the lyrics to all of them too! We enjoyed Nat King Cole’s special song, called: Unforgettable, and finished with the iconic song, called: When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. 

Everyone felt uplifted by the music and our dining room was filled with people that enjoyed Tracey's songs and also the lovely cakes and drinks which  made us feel even sweeter and satisfied!   

Our seaside painting session has been a wonderful opportunity to get creative, relax and enjoy the beauty of the coast through art. 
Using bright colours and plenty of imagination, everyone created their own seaside paintings, from rolling waves and sandy beaches to beautiful skies and peaceful scenes.

It was a lovely session filled with creativity, conversation and plenty of smiles. A perfect way to enjoy some relaxing art and bring a little piece of the seaside to life.  

Our residents here at Lochduhar have had a lovely day out. We visited Kingholm Quay and the Swan for lunch.  We had some refreshing fizzy drinks to start, and the conversation flowed. 

After our meal, we headed out for a walk to see the harbour and some boats. It was lovely to get outside in the lovely sunshine and have some fresh air, listening to the birds and the sound of the water. Kingholm Quay and the Swan is a popular place to visit with our residents, and we are looking forward to our next visit.

We were delighted to welcome the wonderful Brandon Ambrose back to our home! Brandon always knows exactly how to get our residents involved, filling the room with smiles, singing, and plenty of fun. 

Our residents loved joining in with their favourite songs, and Brandon even took the time to serenade some of our residents, making the afternoon extra special. It was a fantastic session, and we can’t wait to welcome Brandon back again!    
 

The home recently enjoyed an up-close and personal experience with some feathered friends thanks to the North Coast Birds of Prey experience, who was kind enough to visit the home in August. Bringing a selection of owls, as well as a Harris Hawk, it was an incredible experience for the residents, staff, friends and family to share. 

As we learnt about these fascinating and beautiful birds of prey, it was a privilege to also be able to get close and hold and stroke them. It was beautiful to watch everyone’s faces as they met these gentle and friendly birds, and many shared the experience with their family and friends, making the experience even more special.          

In August, one of our residents, Willie, enjoyed a very special visit from his grandson Lee and his partner Cora. As Willie always asks how the horse is getting on, they were kind enough to bring their beautiful horse in to visit Willie. This was special enough, but they were also kind enough to share the experience with any residents that would like to see the horse up close, as well. 

Cally was very patient and gentle with the residents as she enjoyed strokes and being fed apples and polo mints. This gentle giant was a hit, especially with Joan, who kept horses, herself, in the past, and was delighted to get out and spend time with the beautiful Cally.

We have been very fortunate over the month of August to enjoy multiple live music performances in the home. Two highlights were the Halo trad Band and Alan Small, who played accordion for us. Music is a universal language which always manages to touch our hearts and souls, and leave us smiling and happy for the rest of the day. These performances were no exception, with residents up and dancing, singing along, and tapping their feet and clapping their hands to the familiar and favourite tunes. 

We are very fortunate to have so many talented local musicians who are happy to spend their time playing for us, and we are always eager to have them. Music is often the key to unlocking memories and feelings within us that may otherwise go unexpressed, and it is always very special and touching to watch it happen in real time and to share in the memories and joy unlocked by music.