Celebrating life at Barchester

As part of our Around the World project, our residents set sail for a day in Poland! Glenroyd turned white and red as we explored Polish culture, iconic landmarks and delicious cuisine.

Our adventure began with boarding the cruise, where Captain Karen checked everyone’s passports and tickets. We kicked off with a singalong to Sailing by Rod Stewart, then tucked into a Polish-themed lunch prepared by our talented catering team, inspired by traditional recipes: hearty cabbage soup, stuffed cabbage rolls, and a comforting Polish-style apple crumble.

In the afternoon, residents enjoyed a Polish flavoured vodka-tasting session- raising a cheerful “Na zdrowie!”- while listening to traditional Polish folk music. Aga then shared her personal story from Poland, including cherished traditions and childhood photos, giving everyone a heartfelt insight into her heritage.

We continued with a virtual tour of some of Poland’s most-loved destinations- Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk and more- learning about the country’s rich history along the way. To round off the day, residents tested their knowledge in a themed quiz while enjoying slices of traditional Polish ginger cake- an absolute hit!

Here’s to our next destination on this year’s journey! 

We had a truly lovely time celebrating Christmas together at Rivermead. The home was full of festive cheer, laughter, and smiles as residents and staff came together for a wonderful afternoon.

A huge thank you to our amazing kitchen team who put on a delicious festive spread that was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone, the food really added to the celebrations and was beautifully prepared.

The afternoon was packed with fun, including a lively game of pass the parcel which brought lots of excitement and laughter. We also enjoyed a joyful Christmas sing-along, filling the room with familiar songs and festive spirit.

Craig recently shared with us that he would really love to have a friend to play chess with. Knowing how meaningful it is to continue enjoying hobbies and interests, we were delighted to help make this wish come true.

We were honoured to welcome Ramek, who kindly came along to spend time with Craig and enjoy a game of chess together. From the moment the game began, it was clear there was some strong competition at the table! 
Both players were fully engaged, focused, and clearly enjoying the challenge.

It was truly heart-warming to watch two people connect over a shared interest, exchanging smiles, conversation, and a few thoughtful moves along the way.

Moments like these remind us how important companionship, meaningful activities, and social connections are within our home.

We are so pleased to see Craig enjoying his passion for chess and forming new friendships, and we would like to thank Ramek for giving his time and making this such a special experience. These are the moments that make our care home feel like a community.

We marked World Photography Day, which commemorates the invention of the daguerreotype in 1839 and inspires people everywhere to share their world through the lens.

We had a wonderful time looking back through our photo albums, revisiting so many special moments from our residents’ lives. We chatted about our very first cameras, the treasured snapshots we love to capture, and learned a few tips about lighting and getting the best out of a camera too.

Wedding photos and lifetime memories were proudly shared around the room- such beautiful stories and smiles. After some delicious refreshments, it was over to our residents to showcase their skills both behind and in front of the camera!

Pam told us: “What a wonderful experience. Thank you for all that you do- I loved every single story.”

Here are a few of our favourite snaps from the day!

 Residents from Rivermead enjoyed a festive outing to Castle Howard. June, Jean, Heather and Audrey were accompanied by Mandy, Karlen, Layla and Bernie for a really enjoyable Christmas day out.

Castle Howard was decorated with a Wizard of Oz Christmas theme giving everyone plenty to see and talk about as we walked around together. The fresh air and festive atmosphere made it a lovely experience.

We also spent time browsing the gift shop, where residents enjoyed looking at the Christmas items and choosing gifts. This encouraged independence and personal choice and led to lots of conversation.

Afterwards, we stopped for lunch in the café, giving everyone time to relax, chat and enjoy being out in a different setting.

We held our Sports Day in true Olympic style- and the smiles said it all.

From the legendary Newspaper Treadmill (yes, it’s a thing!) to badminton rallies, colourful parachute fun and some top-notch toss games, our residents gave it their all. Laughter, friendly rivalry and a whole lot of cheering filled the garden as everyone kept the sporting spirit alive.

Our very own Karen absolutely stole the show in her fabulous outfit, leading the event like a pro and crowning our champions with shiny medals and trophies.

Here’s to staying active, celebrating every effort, and keeping that positive energy flowing. Big thanks to our team and everyone who came to cheer. 

We were delighted to welcome the New Year with a special social Afternoon Tea, bringing together previous respite residents, families , friends and members of our local community for a warm and joyful afternoon. 

There was a lovely buzz throughout the room as stories were shared, memories for the past and reflections of life with hopes for the year ahead. Laughter filled the space creating a wonderful warm atmosphere whilst we got to welcome back some of previous respite residents and families to catch up on how life is back at home, whilst our local veteran group The Muster Point shared wonderful photos between us from there past . 

Events like these highlight the importance of community and connection, and we are proud to offer opportunities where people can come together in such a meaningful way. A big thank you to everyone who joined us.

As part of our great activities planner the residents are always kept busy with fun things to do at Stoneham. Our ladies had fun in our weekly baking club today where they could get creative making cakes, but also enjoyed a nice slice with a nice cuppa afterwards. 

The magic of the theatre arrived at our Home as the home hosted a vibrant and high-energy production of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella, performed by the popular Tickled Pink Productions.

The communal dining room was transformed into a ballroom as residents, staff, and guests enjoyed the colourful costumes and upbeat musical numbers. Far from just being spectators, the residents became part of the show, singing along to familiar tunes and playing along with musical instruments provided during the performance.

Benazir, General Manager at Glebefields Care Home, said "It was a truly wonderful morning. The energy that Tickled Pink brings is infectious, and seeing our residents so engaged. We are already looking forward to welcoming the troupe back later this year for more performances."