Celebrating life at Barchester

We proudly hosted two special Veteran’s High Teas here at Florence Court to honour the brave men and women who have served our country.

Guests from our community and residents enjoyed an afternoon of delicious tea, homemade cakes, and heartfelt conversation … sharing memories, laughter, and gratitude.

A huge thank you to our wonderful team for creating such a warm and meaningful event ... our Chef team, our three volunteers from the community and to our veteran’s for their service and stories that continue to inspire us all.

The residents at Atfield House love music, so we were so glad to have Margaret join us again at Atfield House for our Remembrance Sunday with her golden harp. Before the music started, residents lit candles in remembrance of their loved ones. And we also lit candles in remembrance of all the people that died in the first and second World Wars and all the wars since then.  

Margaret played beautiful songs like Britannia, Amazing Grace and also some songs that everyone could sing along to, like 'Pack Up Your Troubles', and 'It’s a Long Way to Tipperary'. There was also some remembrance poetry among the music. Residents enjoyed the music very much and clapped along to the popular songs. Residents and their visitors enjoyed a close look at the harp afterwards and also got a chance to chat with Margaret. Even though it was a serious event, the music lifted us, and we had a lot of fun singing together the good old songs which Margaret played so beautifully. Everyone said it was a good afternoon and remarked that the cake we had made together for the event was delicious!  

Residents  were treated to a visit from the Rugby Male Voice choir, who gave us some wonderful songs, and also the Mayor of Rugby Barbara Brown and Mayor’s Consort Elly.

The reason for their visit was to present an honorary award to resident John Evans, who has been a member of the choir for over 50 years. John was a well-respected Head Teacher in Rugby and was also an excellent athlete, which was another passion of his, alongside teaching and singing. Mayor Barbara Brown worked as a secondary school teacher before taking on an advisory education role, working at schools across Warwickshire and was delighted to present John with his award.

John was surprised and emotional when the Mayor and Rugby Male Voice choir elected John to be their vice president. John was surrounded by family, friends and residents when he received his reward, for which he was so grateful and John loved hearing the choir again.

We look forward to seeing the Male Voice Choir at Christmas and our Mayor and Consort, who are always welcome. For her Mayoral theme, the Mayor plans to promote 'hearts and minds' to highlight the importance of physical and mental wellbeing, something very close to Barchester Healthcare‘s heart.    

Our residents enjoyed a fantastic trip to the Forest of Dean Heritage Centre, and it truly was a day to remember. From discovering fascinating pieces of local history to taking in the beauty of the surrounding woodland, the outing was filled with smiles, stories, and cherished moments.

Our team worked hard to make the day special, ensuring everyone felt supported, engaged, and free to explore at their own pace. We are incredibly grateful for their dedication — and equally grateful to our residents, whose warmth and enthusiasm bring joy to every adventure.

Days like this remind us how valuable shared experiences are in creating a vibrant, connected community. We look forward to many more excursions, opportunities to learn, and moments of happiness together.

At Ross Court, every day offers the chance to make new memories — and we can’t wait for the next one.

Another fun day at Westgate House where residents enjoyed a disco & karaoke session.