Celebrating life at Barchester

Congratulations to our wonderful resident, Yvette, and her husband, Chris, who blessed their marriage at Hurstwood View today.  

A small, intimate gathering, we were over the moon to host this for you and your family. A huge congratulations from the whole Hurstwood team. What a fabulous afternoon.  

We enjoyed a fun French themed morning at Sussex Support Service Memory Café in #buxted this morning. Running every Tuesday from 10am, this welcoming Café offers a variety of entertainment, changing each week. 

Today we took part in a French quiz, and ate lots of baguette and cheese. We even joined a beret throwing competition, sadly not winning! 

Our residents love getting out in the community and making new connections. Thanks to the wonderful team at Sussex Support Service who are always so friendly and welcoming.  

Wow! We had the most wonderful afternoon today with our first ever dog show.  

We were so happy to see so many families, friends and staff join us in our Café. A huge thank you to everyone for supporting us, it was so much fun. 

With categories such as ‘waggiest tail’ and ‘best trick’, our resident judges absolutely loved scoring you all. Well done to our winners, we hope you enjoy your treats and rosettes.  

This event was so popular, we’re already planning another. Watch this space for further information. 

Woof! 

Our armchair travels took us to the beautiful Caribbean island of Jamaica today. Located just south of Cuba, this gem of an island has palm-studded beaches, turquoise sea and bucket loads of character. 

We enjoyed learning about the island’s rich heritage and culture on YouTube, whilst sampling some of their delicious food and drink along the way!

Our Head Chef pulled out all the stops with delicious homemade patties and jerk chicken! No trip to Jamaica would be complete without a Jamaican Mule too, ginger beer, lime and rum! Delicious!  

Such a wonderful afternoon, and a great way to get our worldwide travel fix in, all from the comfort of our armchairs!  

Where shall we go next?  

Our residents had a brilliant time out at the community centre today, taking part in a lovely arts and crafts session! There was so much creativity on show, with residents painting everything from colourful rainbows to cars and houses!It was a wonderful change of scenery, getting out into the community while enjoying some relaxed, creative time together. Lots of concentration, colour, and pride in every finished painting!

A fantastic outing filled with fun, creativity, and connection!

What a wonderful afternoon in the garden with our residents today! Sleeves rolled up and ready to get stuck in, residents enjoyed trimming, watering, and adding manure to help our garden flourish. The best part? Getting to enjoy some delicious apples grown right here in our very own garden! There's something so rewarding about tending to plants and then tasting the fruits of your labour, quite literally.

A brilliant, sunny session filled with fresh air, hard work, and a real sense of achievement.

Our weekly Baking Club returned this September, and residents proved once again that they're true baking stars. From measuring flour to whisking milk and sugar, cracking eggs, and stirring in chocolate raisins, every step was done by residents themselves, with Activities Coordinator Ana guiding and encouraging them throughout. The finished cupcakes were shared between residents, with a selection placed in reception for visitors to enjoy too. This month's sessions have also included scones and cookies, with Baking Club now a firm Thursday favourite.

Good baking, like good company, is always better shared.

Appletree Grange marked Housekeeping Appreciation Week by taking time to recognise the incredible contribution of our Housekeeping Team. The manager wrote personalised thank-you cards for each team member, placing them inside souvenir bags filled with Barchester branded items such as pens and bottles, and treated the whole team to a shared Domino's pizza. It was a small gesture that reflected a much bigger appreciation for the pride, kindness, and commitment the team brings to the home every single day.

So much of what our Housekeeping Team does happens quietly behind the scenes, but this week, their hard work took centre stage.

Appletree Grange welcomed a wave of four-legged visitors this month, as residents' families and staff brought in their dogs ahead of our special Dog Show. Residents were in their element, enjoying cuddles, petting, and plenty of laughter with each visiting dog. On the day of the show itself, the home was decorated with balloons, including bone-shaped designs, and dogs enjoyed treats, squeaky toys, and performing tricks for residents, all dressed in their finest costumes for the occasion.

A tail-wagging celebration that brought smiles to residents and dogs alike.