Celebrating life at Barchester

Wilton Place residents took a trip out on the homes mini-bus to visit Imagine this. Residents joined the Imagine This intergenerational session where they enjoyed sensory play with the children, including moulding magic sand!  

This was a lovely chance for the young and old to come together and get to know each other. After that, they enjoyed some tea and cake before returning home. 

This month, the supper club headed to Italy. Chef Rich cooked up a scrumptious meal, including Tuscan bean and pancetta soup served with ciabatta toast and fresh pesto, followed by breaded chicken with a Gorgonzola sauce served with garlic and rosemary fried potatoes, broccoli with fried onion and tomatoes in balsamic vinegar and for dessert: lemon and orange polenta cake.

Residents enjoyed wonderful company and some delicious wine to wash their meals down.         

We had a truly wonderful day at Red Oaks Care Home as we welcomed some very special visitors to celebrate Emergency Services Day. 

Our residents were delighted to welcome members of our local Police, the RNLI and HART, who kindly took the time to visit us, chat with our residents and share more about the incredibly important work they do to support and protect our local community.

It was a fantastic opportunity for our residents to learn more about the people behind these vital services, hear fascinating stories and ask questions about their roles. The visit sparked lots of conversation, memories and smiles throughout the home.
One of the biggest highlights of the day was undoubtedly the opportunity for our residents to climb into the back of a police van!  There was plenty of excitement as everyone took their turn, making it a very memorable experience and certainly something our residents will be talking about for some time! We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone from the emergency services who gave up their valuable time to visit us. Your kindness, enthusiasm and willingness to engage with our residents made the day incredibly special.          

At Red Oaks, we love creating opportunities for our residents to remain connected with the wider community, meet new people and enjoy experiences that bring joy, curiosity and wonderful memories.

Thank you to all our emergency services for everything you do, every day, to keep our communities safe. We are incredibly grateful for your dedication and commitment. 

There was a very special reason to celebrate at Red Oaks as we came together to wish Donald a happy 105th Birthday.
What a remarkable milestone: 105 years of memories, stories, laughter and life. We are incredibly privileged to be able to celebrate this very special occasion,

Donald enjoyed celebrations over several days with a lovely birthday party surrounded by family and friends, a delicious birthday cream tea with his fellow residents and a trip out to the local garden centre with friends. It was wonderful to see Donald enjoying his special day.

Staff and residents came together for what has become an annual tradition at the home, where staff and residents spend a day celebrating their different cultures. We are proud to have team members from eight different nationalities working at the home, from countries as diverse as Brazil to Norway, Romania to Afghanistan and Portugal to the Philippines, bringing a wealth of different traditions and experiences for everyone to share and enjoy together.  

On Culture Day, many staff members like to wear traditional dress from their different countries, bring in cultural objects to show to the residents and cook traditional dishes for everyone to share. As the team members introduce each country, they play the national anthem of that country and give an introduction to the foods that they have provided, and some facts about their country. Not only that, but this year Virginia and Lesley demonstrated a traditional dance from the Philippines and Smahane demonstrated an Algerian dance. The residents and their families had a wonderful time joining in the dancing and sampling all the different dishes the team members had brought for everyone to try.

Residents enjoyed a lovely morning out in the local community as they attended the Baptist Church Coffee Morning and Fellowship. Maintaining meaningful connections with the community is an important part of life at Fordmill, particularly for residents who have enjoyed attending church and being part of a faith community throughout their lives. Supporting residents to continue these familiar routines and interests helps them remain connected to the people, places and traditions that are important to them. The visit provided a wonderful opportunity for residents to enjoy fellowship, friendly conversation and, of course, a welcome cup of tea or coffee. 

The warm atmosphere gave everyone the chance to socialise, meet members of the local community and enjoy a relaxing morning together. We believe that moving into a care home should not mean losing connections with the wider community. Trips such as this allow our residents to continue doing the things they enjoy while maintaining friendships, interests and a sense of belonging.         

There was plenty of excitement and celebration at Fordmill as our lovely resident Greta marked a very special milestone, her 90th birthday. Greta celebrated her big day surrounded by her family and fellow residents, who were delighted to join her for such a wonderful occasion. The celebrations were filled with smiles, laughter and warm birthday wishes as everyone came together to make Greta feel extra special. 

Reaching 90 is a remarkable milestone and provided the perfect opportunity to celebrate Greta and the many memories she has made throughout her life. Spending the occasion with those closest to her made the day even more meaningful. At Fordmill, we believe that birthdays and important milestones should always be celebrated, and Greta’s 90th was certainly no exception. It was wonderful to see her enjoying the company of her family and friends and sharing such a memorable day with her fellow residents.      

Residents enjoyed a wonderful visit from the children and staff of Ferryden Playgroup, bringing together different generations for a very special time filled with smiles, laughter and friendship. The children received a warm welcome from residents, who were delighted to spend time with their young visitors. Throughout the visit, the home was filled with happy chatter and plenty of laughter as residents and children interacted and enjoyed each other’s company. 

The regular visits from Ferryden Playgroup have become something that residents look forward to, with the children bringing a fantastic energy and sense of fun into the home. It was heart-warming to see the smiles on residents’ faces as they spent time with the youngsters and shared precious moments together. Intergenerational activities are an important part of life at Fordmill, giving residents opportunities to maintain strong connections with the local community while enjoying meaningful and stimulating experiences. 

Residents and staff came together for a wonderful afternoon of singing, dancing, and entertainment with Sue & Dee, a regular singing act that we love to invite into our home. The room was filled with classic songs, happy memories, and plenty of smiles. The care staff enjoyed dancing along with the residents for a fun afternoon all round. Of course, no afternoon would be complete without tea and cake enjoyed by all!