Celebrating life at Barchester

Resident Betty Hardie had always wanted to learn how to pull a pint, so staff at the home made her wish come true. The amazing staff at the Scottish Engineer were more than happy to welcome Betty and teach her everything she needed to know to get the perfect pour!

Betty is at Strachan House on a respite stay and couldn’t believe that we had made her wish come true. Staff at the home were delighted to be a part of making Betty’s dream come true, as they knew how much it meant to her.

Staff first found out about Betty’s dream after having a chat with her on her admission, ever since then, they have been dedicated to helping Betty achieve it. Christine, a fellow resident and Betty’s friend was also there to offer moral support and enjoy a beautiful pub lunch.

In response to this wonderful surprise, Betty, said: “It was such a wonderful day, I can’t believe that the home was able to make this happen”. 

This month’s supper club took us to Spain. After delicious bread with oils and olives, residents were treated to paella followed by a creme catalana.  

There were common Spanish phrases to practice along the way and time to reminisce about wonderful holidays.       

We’ve been making the most of the beautiful weather here at Cedars as we celebrated National BBQ Week with a lovely day out in the sunshine.

Residents enjoyed relaxing in the garden, soaking up the warm weather, spending time together, and enjoying some delicious BBQ favourites fresh from the grill. 

With great food, wonderful company, and our beautiful surroundings, it was the perfect way to celebrate and enjoy the simple pleasures of summer.        

Our gardens are always a favourite spot for residents, and days like these make them even more special. 
Here’s to sunshine, smiles, and BBQ season officially beginning at Cedars.

Residents, families and staff enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of great food and togetherness at our recent outdoor BBQ event held at the home. The rain held off and the sun made an appearance. The event brought everyone together with plenty of laughter, conversation and delicious food enjoyed throughout the afternoon. A special thanks to head chef Rob whose fantastic BBQ was enjoyed by everyone. 

Events like these reflect the home's ongoing commitment to creating meaningful, enjoyable experiences that bring people together and make the home a truly special place to live and work.

Today we are incredibly proud to celebrate the 104th birthday of Arthur John Cooke — a truly remarkable gentleman with an extraordinary life story.       

Our garden was filled with music, laughter, dancing and beautiful memories as residents and staff came together for a truly special afternoon. We enjoyed a stunning Union Jack cake, traditional refreshments including ginger beer, and, of course, plenty of singing along.       

A huge thank you to the fantastic Paulo, who performed many beloved wartime classics and well-known songs that had everyone singing, smiling and even dancing together.

It was such a joyful afternoon full of community spirit, nostalgia and celebration — moments like these create memories that stay with us forever.

We visited one of our favourite places, Quarr Abbey, where we fed the pigs with carrots and enjoyed a relaxing walk – everyone had a great time.

With another group of residents, we also visited the seafront in East Cowes, where we had a wonderful surprise: one of our residents bumped into a former neighbour by the beach! It was such a joyful and heartwarming reunion.