Activities at Ashchurch View Care Home

We were delighted to welcome the talented singer Amanda Jane Bintage to our home this week for a very special musical afternoon. Amanda treated us to a beautiful performance of classic songs from years gone by — timeless tunes that brought back many fond memories for our residents.

The lounge was filled with smiles, laughter, and plenty of singing along as Amanda’s lovely voice carried familiar melodies through the room. Residents reminisced about days past, sharing stories sparked by the songs they knew and loved so well. Some of the ladies also complemented Amanda on her beautiful outfit. 

It was truly a joyful and uplifting afternoon enjoyed by everyone. We’d like to say a big thank you to Amanda Jane Vintage for bringing such warmth, music, and happiness to our home. We look forward to welcoming her back again soon!

Every week, our residents look forward to a very special visitor—Frankie, the gentle therapy dog, accompanied by his wonderful handler, Claire. With his wagging tail and calm, loving nature, Frankie has quickly become a favorite in our community. Whether he’s greeting residents with a nuzzle, sitting patiently by their side, or simply offering his warm presence, Frankie brings comfort, companionship, and countless smiles.

The joy he brings is truly heartwarming. Many residents share how much they look forward to his visits, as they brighten the day and create meaningful moments of connection. His presence not only lifts spirits but also encourages conversation, laughter, and memories of beloved pets from the past.

We are so grateful to Claire for sharing Frankie with us. Their visits remind us of the healing power of friendship—whether it comes on two legs or four.

Residents at Ashchurch View Care Home in Tewkesbury were over the moon to hear the Lindt Chocolate was going to be one of the stores opening next door at the new Cotswold Designer outlet this week! And as they had already had a fantastic time celebrating World Chocolate Day earlier this month, they couldn’t wait to visit.

At the official opening, Ashchurch View’s resident Mrs Joan Rich was the very first guest through the Lindt Chocolate doors and was rewarded with a complimentary bag of delicious goodies to enjoy.  Joan said: “I have always loved anything to do with chocolate, I don’t think there are many people that don’t!  I have eaten so much delicious chocolate today, it’s been my highlight of the week”.

At Ashchurch View we love celebrating the wonderful talents and hobbies of our residents — and this week, all eyes were on David, who completed an incredible jigsaw puzzle that took him four days to finish.

The puzzle, a huge and intricate design with hundreds of tiny pieces, became David’s personal project. Each day, he dedicated time and care to fitting every piece perfectly into place, often drawing a curious audience as fellow residents stopped by to check on his progress. With great focus and determination, David worked patiently until the final piece clicked in — and the sense of achievement was clear for everyone to see.

Smiling proudly beside his completed masterpiece, David was eager to show it off to staff and fellow residents, who were equally impressed by his dedication and persistence. His hard work not only produced a beautiful puzzle but also inspired others to take on their own creative challenges.

At our home we actively encourage residents to continue their hobbies and interests, whether it’s puzzles, painting, gardening, or music. These activities bring a wonderful sense of purpose, enjoyment, and connection to daily life. David’s enthusiasm is a perfect example of how meaningful hobbies can lift spirits and strengthen our community.

Our recent Community Car Show was a huge success, drawing neighbors, families, and car enthusiasts from across the area. The event featured a dazzling lineup of classic cars, custom builds, and modern favorites, all proudly showcased by their owners. Visitors strolled through the display, stopping to chat with exhibitors, snap photos, and admire the craftsmanship behind each vehicle. Kids enjoyed the family-friendly atmosphere, while local food vendors kept everyone fueled with tasty treats.

One of the highlights was the sense of togetherness the show created. One of our long-time residents shared, “It wasn’t just about the cars—it was about community. Seeing everyone come together like this made me proud to live here.”

We’re grateful to everyone who participated, volunteered, or attended, and we’re already looking forward to making next year’s show even bigger and better!

May has been a fun-filled month with Ashchurch View bustling with activities. We have enjoyed many long hours in the garden watching the flowers bloom and keeping cool with ice cream and chilled drinks.
We have been out on our new minibus enjoying picnic trips to the local parks. We even visited Evesham country park for some retail therapy and to browse their gorgeous plants, all looking colourful.

We welcomed back to Ashchurch View the local school children who came to play games with us and chat for a while. We’ve also been keeping fit with some adapted sports indoors to suit the abilities of residents.
And we have celebrated the 80th anniversary of VE day in monumental fashion! We had a party and were lucky enough to be joined by the chairman of the Royal British Legion. We welcomed a military drum band to perform for us! We danced, ate an amazing buffet prepared by our talented chef, and we sang along to songs from times gone by! 

We were delighted to welcome back the Steel Pans entertainment group, whose lively music always brings sunshine into our home. Their rhythmic beats and uplifting tunes had residents clapping, tapping their feet, and even dancing along. The vibrant sounds of the steel pans created a truly festive atmosphere, filling the room with energy and smiles.

For many, the performance was more than just music—it was a chance to relive memories, share laughter, and enjoy the simple pleasure of being together. One resident summed it up perfectly, saying, “The music makes me feel like I’m on holiday—it’s impossible not to be happy when you hear it.”

We are grateful for the joy and warmth that the Steel Pans bring to our community with every visit. Their performances have become a much-loved tradition, and we eagerly look forward to the next one.

Summer at Ashchurch has been filled with activities, fun and sunshine! We have celebrated carers week, the residents loved handing out gifts and cards to our carers, we have helped raise money for Tour De Barchester,  we have enjoyed cheese and wine evenings, we have been visited by some special feathered friends, we’ve been doing some arts and crafts and we’ve even played some games in the garden whilst enjoying the sunshine, we’ve been tending our vegetables in the garden and welcoming our community into the home for our summer dog show , we also attended the grand launch of the new Cotswold designer shopping village in our local town and we were lucky enough to secure a goody bag as well as being among the first to tour the new shops!

Through April the weather is still continuing to warm up here at Ashchurch and we have been busy with Spring crafts and seasonal activities! We’ve been flower arranging some gorgeous displays to place around the home , the ladies especially love to sit and chat over a cup of tea whilst discussing the best way to arrange their vases. We’ve also been making some easter wreaths for residents to hang on their doors, we foraged some flowers and foliage from the surrounding grounds and we added our favourite easter decorations.

We’ve been dancing the afternoons away to our favourite songs from times gone by which has been so beneficial for the strength and coordination of residents and also for the memories hearing music brings back!

We’ve enjoyed some head to head board games with staff which is always sure to bring about laughter and healthy competition. We are thrilled to have welcomed Claire and Frankie the pet therapy dog back to Ashchurch this month ! the residents love a fluffy cuddle and giving Frankie a few treats, we are so pleased that going forwards Ashchurch View will be seeing more of Claire and Frankie.

We have also been doing some rummage box sensory sessions with residents in their rooms, these sessions work wonders at evoking some past memories and the sensory benefits through touch, taste , smell and sound are clear to see by the smiles we see during these sessions.

We also have been fundraising for the RD cook off and held a bingo and raffle with some amazing prizes donated by staff, relatives and local business’. And we’ve enjoyed some easter quiz time in the café leading up to easter Sunday , we also have done some easter baking sessions and we have had a lovely little boy who’s easter wish was to make residents smile by delivering easter eggs to them on easter Sunday morning!